four o’clock
` Well , ' said I , ` the loss of your hat may give you a cold , my friend ; but upon my conscience you are in no danger of wet feet with such a pair of strong brogues as you have on you . ' Well , he laughed at that till I thought he 'd split his sides , and , in good truth , I could not help joining in the fun , although my foot was smarting like mad , and so we jogged along through the rain , enjoying the joke just as if we were sitting by a good fire , with a jorum of punch between us . I am sure I ca n't tell you how often we fell that night , but my clothes the next morning were absolutely covered with mud , and my hat crushed in two ; for he was so confoundedly drunk it was impossible to keep him up , and he always kept boring along with his head down , so that my heart was almost broke in keeping him upon his legs . I 'm sure I never had a more fatiguing march in the whole Peninsula , than that blessed mile and a half ; but every misfortune has an end at last , and it was four o'clock , striking by the college clock , as we reached the barracks . After knocking a couple of times , and giving the countersign , the sentry opened the small wicket , and my heart actually leaped with joy that I had done with my friend ; so , I just called out the sergeant of the guard , and said , ` will you put that poor fellow on the guard-bed till morning , for I found him on the common , and he could neither find his way home nor tell me where he lived . ' ` And where is he ? ' said the sergeant .