midnight
`` It 's some nonsense about a ` spirit , ' They say it 's been appearing suddenly , then disappearing for some time . Now the _ chokra _ swears he saw it go up the verandah into a bedroom . To satisfy them , I have sent for my gun , and I 'll wait below while they drive the ` spirit ' down . '' `` It 's our midnight visitor , '' G. and I cried together . We waited , breathless . The servants rushed on to the verandah with sticks -- a dark streak slid down the verandah pillar -- Mr. Townley fired . It was n't a tiger , it was a civet cat -- a thing rather like a fox , with a long pointed nose and an uncommonly nasty smell .