midday
He felt that he had gained his point and held his ground , and he respected himself accordingly . He felt too that his associates had additional right to respect him . It was their ground too , and he had held it for them as well as for himself . He stopped at The Crown for his midday glass of ale ; and his self-satisfaction was so evident that his friends observed it , and remarked among themselves that `` th ' owd lad wur pickin ' up his crumbs a bit . '' `` Yo 're lookin ' graidely to-day , Sammy , '' said one . `` I 'm feelin ' a trifle graidelier than I ha ' done , '' he answered , oracularly . `` Things is lookin ' up . ''