midnight
`` If you had been killed or seriously hurt I would never have forgiven myself . '' And it may be added here that for some time after this event fun-making and Tom were strangers to each other . At the proper time the feast which had been planned came off , and proved to be an event not readily forgotten . It was no easy matter to obtain the good things required , and the boys ran the risk of being discovered by George Strong and punished ; but by midnight everything was ready , and soon eating was `` in full blast , '' to use Sam 's way of expressing it . A few of the boys from the other dormitories had been invited , and the boys took turns in standing out in the hall on guard . `` You see , '' explained Tom , `` Mr. Strong may come in , and I wo n't be able to play nightmare again , as I did last year . '' `` Say , but that was a prime joke , '' laughed Frank .