twelve o'clock
You ought to know that . '' `` I 'll do it , ma'am , '' ses Joe Barlcomb , trembling . `` You 'd better , '' ses Mrs. Prince ; `` and mind -- not a word to anybody . '' Joe promised her agin , and ' e went off and borrered a clock from Albert Price , and at twelve o'clock that night he jumped up out of bed and began to dress ` imself and pretend not to ` ear his wife when she asked ` im where he was going . It was a dark , nasty sort o ' night , blowing and raining , and , o ' course , everybody ` ad gone to bed long since . The fust cottage Joe came to was Bill Jones 's , and , knowing Bill 's temper , he stood for some time afore he could make up ` is mind to knock ; but at last he up with ` is stick and banged away at the door . A minute arterward he ` eard the bedroom winder pushed open , and then Bill Jones popped his ` cad out and called to know wot was the matter and who it was .