nine o'clock
That , too , went down ; then he took another , and another , and another ; and seeing the bottle get low , he thought he might as well finish it . He felt better after it . Not that he was a bit more reconciled to our friend Mr. Sponge , but he felt more equal to cope with him -- he even felt as if he could fight him . There did not , however , seem to be much likelihood of his having to perform that ceremony , for nine o'clock struck and no Mr. Sponge , and at half-past Mr. Crowdey stumped off to bed . Mrs. Crowdey , having given Bartholomew and Susan a dirty pack of cards to play with to keep them awake till Mr. Sponge arrived , went to bed , too , and the house was presently tranquil . It , however , happened that that amazing prodigy , Gustavus James , having been out on a sort of eleemosynary excursion among the neighbouring farmers and people , exhibiting as well his fine blue-feathered hat , as his astonishing proficiency in ` Bah ! bah !