midnight
`` Thy crippled lad , Paul , of course . Is the man daft ? '' `` No ; but I think ye must be , to be running on in such a fashion about a lad that 's not only a wellnigh helpless cripple , but I 'm afeared is going bad ways . 'T was nearer midnight nor sundown before he came in frae t ' street last night , and I sent him to bed wi ' a flea in his ear . '' A perfect roar of laughter greeted this speech . `` Wellnigh helpless , is he ? '' cried one .