eight o'clock
He left that to his bustling wife , all smartness and smiles , and to his daughters and son-in-law . His efforts at hospitality consisted in sitting still , smoking his pipe ; when any one came , he took it out of his mouth for an instant , and nodded his head in a cheerful friendly way , without a word of speech ; and then returned to his smoking with the greater relish for the moment 's intermission . He thought to himself : -- ` They 're a set o ' young chaps as thinks more on t ' lasses than on baccy ; -- they 'll find out their mistake in time ; give 'em time , give 'em time . ' And before eight o'clock , he went as quietly as a man of twelve stone can upstairs to bed , having made a previous arrangement with his wife that she should bring him up about two pounds of spiced beef , and a hot tumbler of stiff grog . But at the beginning of the evening he formed a good screen for Sylvia , who was rather a favourite with the old man , for twice he spoke to her . ` Feyther smokes ? ' ` Yes , ' said Sylvia .