about
three o'clock
He and all his friends , the planter included , signed it , and the boy tucked it into his boot leg . `` You may be sure that I shall not show it to any Union man , '' said the latter , with a smile . `` It would hang me . '' When they passed through the little settlement of Lesterville about three o'clock that afternoon , Rodney and the horse he rode attracted attention on every hand . All the farmers in the country for miles around seemed to have flocked into town to discuss the latest news , and the streets were full of loungers , every one of whom stared at the party and had something to say regarding the boy , who was supposed to be a prisoner . On two or three occasions Mr. Westall thought it prudent to stop and explain the situation ; and every time he did so , the loungers came running from all directions to hear about it . Some of them thought that Tom Percival had played a regular Yankee trick on Rodney in running off with the roan colt and leaving him a stolen horse to ride , and advised him to look out for himself .