midnight
It happened , however , that , although he was sleepy , he was not wholly unconscious to what was going on ; and suddenly he heard a plot that seemed to him so cruel that he could scarcely believe his ears . -LSB- Illustration : A Card-Party -RSB- At the close of such gatherings , a chicken-roast was generally in order , and the fowl used was usually taken from some hen-roost not far distant . On this particular occasion when the party was about to break up , John heard the roughest of the company ask : `` I say , boys , who 's goin ' fer the roast tonight ? Some one ought to be off fer it 's nigh onter the midnight hour , and I , fer one 's got a big job ahead a me tomorrer . '' `` I 'll go , Bill , '' someone answered ; `` but wha do ye say ter go ? '' `` Oh , it do n't make no difference , so 's it 's not too fer away ! '' the other answered , and added : `` Whist , Tom , why ca n't we git John 's turkeys ?