midnight
Tom Devine and myself are , as you know , members of two of the First Families in America , and only came to the South Seas to wear out our old clothes -- ' ` Shut up , ' said Devine ; ` we do n't want to hear anything about the First American families ; this is an English Christmas , with full-blooded South Sea trimmings . Off you go , you women , and start on the cake . ' So Charley de Buis ` shut up , ' and then the women , headed by Sera and Mary Devine , trooped off to the cook-house to beat up eggs for the cake , and left us to ourselves . When it drew near midnight they returned , and Peter Huysmans arose , and , twisting his grizzled moustaches , said , -- ` Mine boys , will you led me dell you dot now is coming der morn ven Jesus Christ vos born ? And vill you blease , Mary Devine , dell dose natives outside to stop those damdt drums vile I speaks ? Und come here you , MacBride , mit your red het , und you , Ludwig Wolfen , and you Tom Devine , und you Charley de Buis , you wicked damdt devil , und you , Tom Denison , you saucy Australian boy , mit your curlt moustache and your svell vite tuck suit ; und led us join our hands together , and agree to have no more quarrellings und no more angry vorts . For vy should ve quarrel , as our good friendt says , over dirty dollars , ven dere is room enough for us all on dis lagoon to get a decent livings ?