midnight
`` I did not ! '' the dame retorted indignantly . `` I gave him a cup of coffee an ' sumphin ' t ' eat -- he was that cold , poor feller -- an ' I arst him how his face come t ' be in such a state . He said sumphin ` bout it bein ' so cold up in th ' loft he come down amongst th ' horses ` bout midnight -- t ' get warmed up . He said he was lyin ' in one o ' th ' mangers asleep when a feller brought a horse in -- an ' th ' light woke him up an ' when he went t ' climm outa th ' manger th ' horse got scared an ' pulled back an ' musta stepped on this feller 's foot -- fur th ' feller started swearin ' at him an ' pulled him outa th ' manger an ' beat him up an ' -- '' But Slavin had heard enough . With a most ungallant ejaculation he swung on his heel and started towards the stable , beckoning hastily to Yorke and Redmond to follow . `` Yu hear that ? ''