midnight
`` I feel rather like one myself -- one who has stolen a cake out of the pantry and is in danger of a thrashing , '' was Jarvis 's whimsical admission . `` See here . I 'll give you leave to take it out of me all you like . I 'll agree to meet you at midnight in the timber tract , and take whatever you see fit to administer -- provided you 'll keep in before the rest . What do you say ? '' In making this preposterous proposition he was apparently perfectly serious . It was as Mrs. Burnside had said .