midnight
`` It 's all very well for you to preach , '' I said , `` you forget I 've been a pretty sick man . '' `` That 's no nursemaid 's dream . You almost cashed in . Typhoid 's a serious proposition at the best ; but when you take a crazy streak on top of it , make a midnight getaway from the sick-ward and land up on the Slide looking as if you 'd been run through a threshing machine , well , you 're sure letting death get a short option on you . And you gave up . You did n't want to fight . You shirked , but your youth and constitution fought for you .