About
midnight
Taking good care to keep the doors securely bolted , and the axe in the house to use if they were molested , Mayall then took down his gun , prepared some cartridges , put on his belt , with his tomahawk and knife depending from it , and hanging by his side , and left the cottage . Night came , but the hunter did not return . There was no moon , but the stars shone forth in tranquil loveliness as the night wore away . About midnight they heard a noise outside and near the cottage , and they crept cautiously to the window , which was nearly as high as one 's head , but not of sufficient size to admit a common sized man , and looked cautiously out , and Mayall 's cow was in his garden . Mrs. Mayall then told her that the Indian was near , and she must not show her head at the window , or she might be taken for her husband . The minutes now seemed to drag into hours , when that hungry cow was walking over the choice melons and devouring them , and in a few moments more she was eating and stamping down the corn which they had cultivated with care for their own domestic use . But time wore away , and all was still , excepting the cow in the garden .