midnight
He kept heaping on the fuel , and the bright flames danced up , giving to him the first approach to anything like the feeling of comfort that he had known since he had drifted away from the Antelope . Nor was it comfort only that he was mindful of while he watched and fed the fire . He saw in this fire , as it shone out over the water , the best kind of a signal , and had some hope of being seen and hailed by some passing vessel . In this hope he sat up till midnight , looking out from time to time over the water , and expecting every instant to see the shadow of some approaching vessel . But midnight came , and Tom at length thought of sleep . The sail had dried thoroughly through the day ; so now he used it once more as a coverlet , and , folding himself in it , he reclined , as before , against the mossy bank , and slept . On awaking the next day , he arose and looked around .