seventeen minutes past three
Whereupon Diamond -- with some difficulty -- bent his knees , and thrust his head down to the ground . The twins were enchanted . But this was by no means the best of Diamond 's accomplishments . By looking at a watch he could tell the time , and explained to the audience that it was now seventeen minutes past three , by pawing on a plank of wood with his hoof three times , and then , after a moment 's pause , seventeen times . He could shake his head wisely to mean `` yes '' or `` no '' ; he could find the lady 's pocket-handkerchief amongst the audience , and , finally , he refused to leave the ring without his mistress , and when she showed no sign of accompanying him , he trotted behind her , and pushed her out with his soft white nose . Next an acrobat came somersaulting in . He did all sorts of strange things , such as balancing himself upside down on the broad shoulders of Mr. Brooks , and tying himself into a kind of knot and so entangling his limbs that it became impossible to tell the legs from the arms .