midnight
During the fire every one of the servants had rushed into the yard . There was also another disturbing fact to be considered . Either before or after the fire the old gypsy woman , who had unexpectedly appeared to take the character part of old Nokomis in the Hiawatha recitation , had completely vanished ; also , the two men disguised as Indian braves had gone . The Prestons and their guests discussed all these pertinent features of the affair until long after midnight . Miss Betsey wept and mourned over the loss of her money bag , and dolefully repeated that she wished she had never , never heard of a houseboat . The four girls and Miss Jenny Ann became thoroughly disgusted with the disgruntled spinster 's selfish bewailing of her own loss , when the Prestons , who had met with a much heavier loss , were heroically making light of their misfortune . Madge also had a private grievance , one that was quite her own .