midday
Their pied faces and legs , dark and heavy horns , tresses of wool hanging round their swarthy foreheads , quite relieved the monotony of the flocks in that quarter . All these bleating , panting , and weary thousands had entered and were penned before the morning had far advanced , the dog belonging to each flock being tied to the corner of the pen containing it . Alleys for pedestrians intersected the pens , which soon became crowded with buyers and sellers from far and near . In another part of the hill an altogether different scene began to force itself upon the eye towards midday . A circular tent , of exceptional newness and size , was in course of erection here . As the day drew on , the flocks began to change hands , lightening the shepherd 's responsibilities ; and they turned their attention to this tent and inquired of a man at work there , whose soul seemed concentrated on tying a bothering knot in no time , what was going on . `` The Royal Hippodrome Performance of Turpin 's Ride to York and the Death of Black Bess , '' replied the man promptly , without turning his eyes or leaving off tying .