midnight
`` Patrick promised not to speak of it to a human being ; as he was going out of the door he turned back , with a radiant face , and said : ` An 't was meself that only thought maybe the calikers 'd amuse him for a minnit with their quare colors , ' and he almost somerseted off the door-steps , uttering an Irish howl of delight . '' ` You 've made our fortunes ! there 'll always be calicoes wanted , and I can draw fifty patterns a day , and I 'll give you half of the first pay I get for them , ' called the excited Nat ; but Patrick was off . `` We sat up till midnight . I was scarcely less overwrought than Nat . He drew design after design and rejected them as not quite perfect . '' ` You know , ' he said , ` I must send something so very good to begin with , that they ca n't help seeing at first sight how good it is . ' ''