midnight
As soon as Mr. Plumb heard of this he declared that the cow-doctor was taking the bread out of his mouth , but Ward told him if that was the case he ought to have another drink , and after having it he became comatose and unobstructive . Finally we started from The Reindeer at eleven o'clock in a light farm-cart , Ward and Dennison sitting on the seat with the driver , while Collier , Lambert and I sat on the floor of the conveyance . Lambert , when not singing Bacchanalian songs , complained of the indignity and discomfort of this performance , but I , having taken the precaution of propping myself against Collier , who was accustomed to being used as a cushion and very kind about it , was more sleepy than uncomfortable . Besides , men who begin to think of being dignified towards midnight are a nuisance , so I told Lambert he was a speechless idiot , which statement I found to be positively untrue . We had reached the outskirts of Oxford , and even Lambert had passed from the state of song and abuse to that of sleep , when the cart was drawn up with such a jerk that my head collided with Collier 's , and I heard Ward say -- `` Why , Bunny , what the blazes are you doing here at this time of night ? '' and Bunny answered with no unnecessary length , `` Walking . '' `` But why ? ''