about twenty minutes before twelve
Hunting partook of the general confusion . He did not profess to throw off till eleven , but it was often nearly twelve before he cast up . Then he would come up full tilt , surrounded by ` scarlets , ' like a general with his staff ; and once at the meet , there was a prodigious hurry to begin , equalled only by the eagerness to leave off . On this auspicious day he hove in sight , coming best pace along the road , about twenty minutes before twelve , with a more numerous retinue than usual . In dress , Mr. Waffles was the light , butterfly order of sportsman -- once-round tie , French polish , paper boots , and so on . On this occasion he sported a shirt-collar with three or four blue lines , and then a white space followed by three or more blue lines , the whole terminating in blue spots about the size of fourpenny pieces at the points ; a once-round blue silk tie , with white spots and flying ends . His coat was a light , jackety sort of thing , with little pockets behind , something in the style of Mr. Sponge 's -LRB- a docked dressing-gown -RRB- , but wanting the outside seaming , back strapping , and general strength that characterized Mr. Sponge 's .