midnight
Finally , I have nearly caught the infection myself , and unless I escape out of the moonlight presently , I dare say I also shall become quite lack-a-daisical , and commence a poetical apostrophe to my native village of Hardscrabble -- or rather to plump little Susan Somers , my first love , at the ` madam 's ' school , who affected my weak mind and susceptible heart to that extent , that in her bewildering presence my tongue clave to the roof of my mouth , while I grew red in the face like a perplexed turkey gobbler . But what _ can _ have become of Arthur and the rest ? Unless something had happened to them , they must have returned before now . '' A little before midnight we retired to the cabin to sleep , having first agreed , that in the morning three of us should proceed up the stream again , to make a thorough search for our companions , the fourth remaining behind until near noon , when , if the absentees had not yet returned , he should set out to join the others at the islet below the falls , which we fixed upon as the rendezvous . In the morning , lots were drawn to determine which of us should remain at the cabin , and that duty fell to Morton . The rest of us , having armed ourselves , and prepared a supply of taro and bread-fruit , sufficient , as we supposed , for several days , set out , soon after sunrise . Our progress was much more rapid than it had been when we first went over the ground , as we now had a definite object in view , and pressed steadily forward , without allowing any thing to interrupt or delay us .