Tuesday
noon
`` Polly ! You forgot to say that this happened while we were at the fair and he was driven from his own tent , '' hastily added Mrs. Brewster , while the others laughed heartily at Polly 's omission . At these yearly events , every workhand on a ranch went to the fair , whether the cattle starved or not . But with Mr. Brewster 's help , it was so planned that half of them went from Monday morning until Tuesday noon , and then the other half went from Tuesday noon until Wednesday night . In this way each side had plenty of time to spend their hoardings , and to drink all the `` Sure Death '' whisky that could be had in Oak Creek . The great ranch-wagon rumbled away Monday noon , and a gay party it carried , too . The tents were tightly rolled and tied to the sides , while rolls of bedding and hampers of food were stacked under the high front seat .