about three
o'clock in the afternoon
Bacon was what is called land-poor in the West , that is , he had more land than money ; still he was able to give if he felt disposed . It remains to say that he was _ not _ disposed , being a sceptic and a scoffer . It angered him to have Jennings predict so confidently that he would help . The sun was striking redly through a rift in the clouds , about three o'clock in the afternoon , when he saw a man coming up the lane , walking on the grass at the side of the road , and whistling merrily . The old man looked at him from under his huge eyebrows with some curiosity . As he drew near , the pedestrian ceased to whistle , and , just as the farmer expected him to pass , he stopped and said , in a free and easy style : `` How de do ? Give me a chaw t ` baccer .