about noon
I had torn the sachet into four pieces -- four corners . As I played mechanically with them , one of my fingers fitted into one , as into a glove ; a second finger into another . And the plan came . Before I could move in it , however , I had to wait until we stopped to bait the flagging horses , which we did about noon at the head of the valley . Then , pretending to drink from the stream , I managed to secure unseen a handful of pebbles , slipping them into the same pocket with the morsels of stuff . On getting to horse again , I carefully fitted a pebble , not too tightly , into the largest scrap , and made ready for the attempt . The landlord rode on my left , abreast of me ; the other two knaves behind .