midnight
The man secured the blocks and so saved the constant strain of forty pounds of iron pulling at the victim 's legs . While the men were kind and considerate , those in authority were just the reverse . Every indignity possible was heaped on the unfortunate prisoners . It was midnight , on the first day of Allen 's imprisonment , and the Americans had managed to fall asleep . Eben was lying at Allen 's feet , enduring the most horrible tortures because of the irons , but never complaining for fear that he might be separated from his hero . Suddenly their sleep was disturbed by a loud voice asking where the rebels had been placed . It was the captain 's voice , and he knew well , for he had ordered every detail .