midnight
Then I told Alf why I had held him back , that I had almost insulted the old man by offering to assist him in mounting his horse ; and Alf stood there actually trembling at the narrowness of his escape . I know that we should have been burned up had he been half so badly frightened while we were in the school-house . The nights were shortened by the season 's approach to the first of May . It seemed a long time since the twilight had glimmered on the leaves , and it was past midnight when we reached home . Old Lim had put up his horse and was standing at the draw-bars , waiting for us . `` For a smart man , '' said he , `` I reckon the General 's got about as little sense as any human now alive . By jings , he 's a crank ; that 's what 's the matter with him ; and the first thing he knows people will be keepin ' out of his way . ''