evening about seven o'clock
I also heard of an extraordinary evening party which had been given at my house during my absence . It appears that the invitations had been sent out by the Doctor-in-Law the very day upon which I left , and about thirty guests , including the Duchess of Mortlake , had been invited . Unfortunately , however , this visit to Windsor had entirely driven the matter from the Wallypug 's mind , and the others had forgotten about it too , and so a pretty confusion was the result . It appears that one evening about seven o'clock they were all in the kitchen making toffee , having persuaded Mrs. Putchy to let them have the frying-pan and some sugar and butter , and it having been cooking for some time the Doctor-in-Law had just told the Wallypug to stick his finger in and see if it was done , when Mrs. Putchy came in to say that some ladies and gentlemen had arrived , and were waiting in the drawing-room . -LSB- Illustration : TO SEE IF IT WAS DONE -RSB- All of a sudden it flashed upon their minds that _ this _ was the evening upon which they had invited their visitors to the party . Whatever was to be done ? Not the slightest preparation had been made -- and his Majesty and the others were all more or less in a sticky condition , and quite unfit to be seen by company .