two o'clock
How well he remembered the various features of preparation : the neighbours asked in to assist , the odours pleasant and unpleasant , the bustling about of his mother as she baked and boiled and stewed for the company , the magic circle about the pens from which he was excluded when the men went forth with the rifle , and the squeal which followed the rifle 's crack , and the fear which gripped him when he thought the poor pig was hurt , but which was explained away by his father , who , proud of his marksmanship , assured him that `` that pig never knew what hit it . '' In addition to the fact that the man had spent his childhood on a farm , he had the happy faculty of entering into the life of the people among whom he found himself . He entertained the little group at the dinner table that day with a description of his mother 's soap-making , and discussed the best ways of preparing sausage for summer use as if he himself were a cook ; and as Luther listened he was convinced that the Hunter home was the proper place for him to settle down . At two o'clock Luther started home with some spareribs , wrapped in one of Liza Ann 's clean towels , under his arm . It was early , but nothing more could be done at Silas 's house till the carcasses were cold enough to cut and trim , and , besides , there was an ominous looking bank of dull gray cloud in the northwest . Luther swung along the road toward the west energetically . The wind gave a little twisting flurry , and dropped completely when he was about halfway between Chamberlain 's and the Hunter place .