midnight
Now there 's Etheredge , that I told you about one day -- kin to Dan Stuart . He 's a doctor , and they tell me that he is well educated , but I never heard him say a thing worth remembering . I reckon old Mrs. Nature has a good deal to do with it after all . '' They were sitting up waiting for us at home , although it was past the midnight hour when we drove into the yard . Old Lim snorted when he learned that the Aimes boys were not to be hanged , but his wife , merciful creature , was saddened to think that even more mercy had not been shown them . And then she anxiously inquired whether we had found ourselves short in the matter of provisions . We told her that we had brought back nearly all the load which her kindness had imposed upon us , and then with disappointment she said : `` Goodness alive , why did n't you give it to those poor fellows to take to the penitentiary with 'em , for I know that there 's nothin ' there fitten to eat . ''