midnight
She issued no further invitation , but with her apron still to her eyes and still exclaiming over and over in muffled sobs , that `` the darlin ' had come back to his mother , '' she darted into the road ; and snatching the horses ' bridle , dragged her guests through the gate and up to the door , amid the applause of the assembled Flats . And so they had supper in the Murphy home perforce , and all the great deeds of their expedition had to be recounted . Scotty told how Dan had disobeyed orders and run away at the battle of Kirbekan ; only , like a true Irishman , he had run to , not from the fight . But when his friend returned the compliment and launched into an account of the midnight skirmish at the ruined temple , the hero of that event arose hastily , and declared they must be going . There was much for Hamish both to tell and hear on the road , so the afternoon was fading into evening when at last they reached the Scotch Line . They had taken a detour round the Glen , for Scotty did not want to be delayed by more friends . They passed the Weaver 's clearing , and Hamish declared how Jimmie and Kirsty were such an agreeable pair as never was , for indeed the two lived in such a state of connubial felicity as was a wonder to all the neighbours .