one o'clock
Between Dr. Little and his two sons , Dick and Tom , there was little in common save a great bond of affection . Dr. Little was serious-minded , inclined to be fussy , but of a generous nature and a genial disposition that gained for him the regard of all his patients . His son Dick was a rollicking dandy , an inveterate practical joker , and the leader of every mischievous escapade at St. Timothy 's Hospital , known as `` Tim 's , '' where he enjoyed an all-round popularity . By half-past one o'clock everything was ready for the Temperance Fête . The large marquee had been erected , the chairs and tables had been dotted about the meadow . Rustic stalls , gay with greenery and bunting , invited the visitor to refresh himself . In the centre of a roped-off space stood a gaily beribboned maypole .