about four o'clock in the
afternoon
`` How do you know ? '' `` The gentleman in front was pointed out to me as the mayor . I should n't wonder if he were going to dine there . '' When Kit returned to the circus tents about four o'clock in the afternoon , he met with some good-natured raillery which he took in good part . He felt that he had passed the day in a much more satisfactory manner than if , like the great majority of his companions , he had risen late and lounged about the circus grounds , beguiling the time with smoking and story telling . Kit 's acts thus far had been confined to the ring , but now a new one was expected from him . Early in the performance a series of flying leaps from a springboard , in which all the acrobats took part , was introduced .