midnight
Perhaps I shall see Lafayette ! And perhaps the English will leave Philadelphia . '' Both her mother and Winifred laughed at Ruth 's eager prophecy . Gilbert and Winifred often talked to Ruth of their soldier brother , Vinal ; and she never tired of hearing the story of a midnight visit he had made during the previous winter . He had arrived home late one afternoon , coming up the street as if there were not an English soldier in the city , and had stayed the night in his own home , departing early the next morning for Valley Forge . It was just such an adventure as the children admired , and would have well liked to have had some part in . Gilbert had reluctantly given up the plan of changing his name to Lafayette .