nearly midnight
Cully never went to bed without seeing the Gray first made comfortable for the night . The two young fellows saw all the sights , and after filling their pockets with peanuts and themselves with pink lemonade , took their seats at last under the canvas roof , where they waited impatiently for the performance to begin . The only departure from the ordinary routine was Cully 's instant acceptance of the clown 's challenge to ride the trick mule , and his winning the wager amid the plaudits of the audience , after a rough-and-tumble scramble in the sawdust , sticking so tight to his back that a bystander remarked that the only way to get the boy off would be to `` peel the mule . '' When they returned it was nearly midnight . Cully had taken off his `` choker , '' as he called it , and had curled it outside his hat , They had walked over from the show , and the tight clutch of the collar greatly interfered with Cully 's discussion of the wonderful things he had seen . Besides , the mule had ruined it completely for a second use . It was a warm night for early spring , and Carl had his coat over his arm .