nine in the evening
He had very little sentiment about him , and had stern ideas as to what he termed his rights . Father 's birthday was the children 's lawful day : on that day they were one and all of them kings , and the `` king could do no wrong . '' Accordingly this little king , with a somewhat withering glance at his sister , stepped confidently up to the big bed , raised himself on tiptoe , so as to secure a better view , and looked down with his chubby expectant face on his slumbering father . It is all very well for the little folk , who are in bed and asleep as a rule between eight and nine in the evening , to feel lively and larky , and quite up to any holiday pranks at four o'clock on a summer 's morning ; but the older and less wise people who sometimes do not close their eyes until the small hours , are often just enjoying their deepest and sweetest slumbers about the time the sun likes to get up . This was the case with Mr. Wilton . He had not arrived home until midnight -- he had found some letters before him which must be replied to -- he had even dipped into a book in which he was specially interested . Then his favorite spaniel Gyp had begun to howl in his kennel , and Mr. Wilton had gone out to see what was the matter .