four o'clock
in the afternoon
What Thomas and I had in view was the ten dollars ; and we did not believe there was a horse in the county that could beat our old `` Ponkus '' at going slow . There were no restrictions in the race . Anybody who had a horse was at liberty to enter him for it . The time set for the race was four o'clock in the afternoon . A little before that hour , Thomas drove Ponkus on to the track , in an old `` thoroughbrace '' wagon . We found that as many as twelve different horses -LRB- or wrecks of horses -RRB- had been entered for the race . It was an odd and venerable-looking troop that drew up near the judge 's stand , which was to be the starting point .