midnight
`` Dock 's getting tired of holding down his job , '' Tom had said , `` He 's been out of school so long now that he ca n't be sent back ; and he does n't like hard work either . Since his father signed the pledge he 's been working steadily enough , and perhaps Dock gets into trouble at home because of his temper . '' `` I happen to know he does for a fact , '' assented Carl . `` He 's been acting hateful , staying out up to midnight every night , and his father has threatened to pitch him out . I rather think he 's lazy , and wants to loaf . '' `` Perhaps he thinks that he ought to be drawing a regular salary because of that paper he 's got hidden away , and which is worth so much to Amasa Culpepper , as well as to you . To keep him quiet it may be , the old man is paying him a few dollars every week on the sly , even though he refuses to come down with a big lump sum . ''