nearly midnight
`` Guess he 'll start in being a father to me now , eh ! mother ? '' Mrs. Cowels smiled and kissed him , and then she cried a little , but only a little , for in spite of all her troubles she felt almost happy that night . It was nearly midnight when Bennie finished trying on his overclothes and finally fell asleep . It was only four A. M. when he shook his mother gently and asked her to get up and get breakfast . `` What time is it , Bennie ? '' `` I do n't know , exactly , '' said Bennie , `` but it must be late .