midnight
He had hard work to induce the baby , after it was over , to resume his slumbers . That young gentleman evidently had a vivid recollection of some one having walked about with him and sung him to sleep in the middle of the day , and he resented now being unceremoniously laid on his back and expected to slumber without persuasion . Jeffreys had to take him up finally and pace the room for an hour , and about ten o'clock sat down to his interrupted work . Till midnight he laboured on ; then , cold and wearied , he put out his little candle and lay himself beside the children on the bed . He had scarcely done so when he became aware of a glare at the window , which brought him to his feet in an instant . It was a fire somewhere . His first panic that it might be in the house was quickly relieved .