about midnight
It proved , however , to be a night of interruptions , for he had hardly gotten between the sheets and fallen into a sound slumber before there came a loud knocking at the front door . David -- and in fact his whole household -- was aroused thereby , and hastening to the window , he tried to learn what was the matter . He saw in the yard below three men standing by three horses and heard the quick and eager words of Judge LeMonde : `` Hurry , Friend David , and come to our help . My barn was broken into about midnight and my horses Velox and Dolly stolen from it . We are almost sure the thieves headed this way down the river , for where the county road meets the river road we examined the hoofprints as best we could , and decided the horses turned this way . '' `` Yes , Judge , I 'll help you all I can , and will be down in a hurry . '' Honest Hester left the window and was soon down in the yard , followed presently by his sons , wife and daughter Henrietta , all greatly excited by the news .