midnight
`` Awfully glad to see you , Birch , '' he said , `` I suppose you noticed that we have no music going to-night . It 's a shame , is n't it ? Lindmann 's men have been delayed by a freight wreck on the P. & Q . They were coming home from a wedding down the line somewhere , and telephoned us they could n't get out here before midnight . We 've tried to get some other music , but everything 's engaged somewhere . '' `` Too bad , but it 's no great matter , '' Just replied , comfortably . `` We can worry along without the orchestra . ''