midnight
when Barbara came and rescued me . I hope , '' he went on , yet more meekly , `` I hope it was not an unholy self-love that prompted me to prefer my life to the pudding ! '' The children laughed , as they generally did when Crayshaw spoke , but it was more at his manner than at his words . And now , peace being restored , everybody helped everybody else to the delicacies , John discreetly refraining from any inquiry as to whether this was the first midnight feast over which his son had presided , but he could not forbear to say , `` I suppose your grandfather 's ` tip ' is to blame for this ? '' `` If everybody was like the Grand , '' remarked Crayshaw , `` Tennyson never need have said -- '' ` Vex not thou the schoolboy 's soul With thy shabby _ tip _ . ' '' `` Now , Cray , '' said Brandon , `` do n't you emulate Valentine 's abominable trick of quoting . '' `` And I have often begged you two not to parody the Immortals , '' said John .