midnight
As if in answer to his question , the brown eyes of the child he was just lifting fluttered slowly open , and Peace drowsily drawled , `` We fed the Swede birds for Gussie , and got French forgiveness from grandpa for doing so , and had a German Christmas tree , and lots of Hung ` ry company , and ` Merican stockings and a ` Merican Santa Claus , but we did n't hear the Irish horses talk , and I b ` lieve it 's all a joke . '' In spite of their anxiety , Faith and the President gave a boisterous shout , and Peace heard as in a dream her sister 's voice saying , `` It is Christmas Eve that the animals are supposed to talk . Poor Peace ! '' Strange as it may seem , neither child felt any ill effects from that midnight escapade , but the next morning they awoke as chipper and gay as if there were no such thing as after-Christmas feelings . They even forgot the lonely vigil in the stable in their dismay at the discovery that Lorene had slept all night with Cherry instead of returning to their room as she had promised to do . An after-breakfast summons to the President 's study brought their pranks vividly to mind again , however , and with considerable trepidation they saw the heavy door close behind them , shutting them in alone with the grave-eyed man , for they stood much in awe of the learned Doctor when that stern look replaced the usual bluff kindliness of his face . The conference was exceedingly brief and to the point , judging from the sober , wilted little culprits who pattered up the stairway a few minutes later and silently sought the flag room .