five o'clock
It was to him a most beautiful and even solemn occasion , and he could recall the very smallest detail of it from year to year : even the uncertain squeaks and flourishes of the drum and fife band were something to be remembered with pleasure . As his eye rested on the school-house , a small red dot in the distance , he wondered if they had settled on the Queen yet , and whether Agnetta would be chosen . `` She 'll be rarely vexed if she ai n't , '' he thought seriously . So the day went by , and after five o'clock had sounded from the church tower Peter and his beasts left off work and went leisurely down the hill towards home ; two of the Pleasants in front with their harness clanking and flapping loosely about them , and their master following , seated sideways on the back of the third . Peter had done a long day 's work and was hungry , but he did not go into the house till he had seen his horses attended to by Ben Pinhorn , who was in the yard when they arrived . Even after this he was further delayed , for as he was crossing the lane which separated the farm buildings from the house an ugly cat ran to meet him , rubbed against his legs , and mewed . `` Jump , then , Tib , '' said Peter encouragingly ; and Tib jumped , arriving with outspread claws on the front of his waistcoat and thence to his shoulder .