four in the morning
This was a duty to which all others gave way in his mind . He set out directly ; but what was his surprise , on his arrival , to see , on a little bed on the floor , poaching Giles lying in all the agonies of death ! Jack Weston , the same poor young man against whom Giles had informed for killing a hare , was kneeling by him , offering him some broth , and talking to him in the kindest manner . Mr. Wilson begged to know the meaning of all this ; and Jack Weston spoke as follows : `` At four in the morning , as I was going out to mow , passing under the high wall of this garden , I heard a most dismal moaning . The nearer I came , the more dismal it grew . At last , who should I see but poor Giles groaning , and struggling under a quantity of bricks and stones , but not able to stir . The day before he had marked a fine large net on this old wall , and resolved to steal it , for he thought it might do as well to catch partridges as to preserve cherries ; so , sir , standing on the very top of this wall , and tugging with all his might to loosen the net from the hooks which fastened it , down came Giles , net , wall , and all ; for the wall was gone to decay .