nearly midnight
Shaken by his fall , he could make no effective resistance , and he was dragged a few yards through the bush and flung into a wagon . He tried to pull the jacket from his face , and failed ; somebody brutally beat him down against the side of the vehicle when he struggled to get up . He heard a whip crack , the wagon swayed and jolted , and he knew the team was starting at a gallop . It was nearly midnight when Edgar returned from the settlement and saw , to his surprise , lights still burning in the homestead . Entering the living-room , he found Grierson sitting there with Jake , and it struck him that they looked uneasy . `` What 's keeping you up ? '' he asked .