midnight
Tom argued with him gently , and turned the matter round on all sides , putting the most hopeful face upon it ; and , in the end , talked first himself and then Harry into the belief that it was the best thing that could have happened to him , and more likely than any other course of action to bring everything right between him and all the folk at Englebourn . So they got into the train at Steventon in pretty good heart , with his fare paid , and half-a-sovereign in his pocket , more and more impressed in his mind with what a wonderful thing it was to be `` a schollard . '' The two friends rode back to Oxford at a good pace . They had both of them quite enough to think about , and were not in the humour for talk , had place and time served , so that scarce a word passed between them till they had left their horses at the livery stables , and were walking through the silent streets , a few minutes before midnight . Then East broke silence . `` I ca n't make out how you do it . I 'd give half-a-year 's pay to get the way of it . ''