noon
And no matter what comes up , you use your own judgment . '' To-morrow morning Pop showed that he was taking Bud 's advice . When the crowd began to gather -- much earlier than usual , by the way , and much larger than any crowd Bud had seen in the valley -- Pop was trotting here and there , listening and pulling his whiskers and eyeing Bud sharply whenever that young man appeared in his vicinity . Bud led Smoky up at noon -- and Smoky was still lame . Dave looked at him and at Bud , and grinned . `` I guess that forfeit money 's mine , '' he said in his laconic way . `` No use running that horse .