midnight
This wood-lot of Simpson 's had attracted Bob 's attention some time before , as the reader already knows , and , despite the assertions of some oil prospectors to the contrary , he had always maintained that a good paying well would be found there . It had been his intention to buy the land ; but he had neglected to do so , as he was in the habit of neglecting his own business until it was too late . But he would be satisfied to prove that he had been correct in his views by striking oil there , even if he was opening the property for some one else , and just then he saw the opportunity of doing a favor for his friend at the same time that he proved the truth of his own statements . On the morning after he had spoken of his `` scheme '' to Ralph , he was up some time before the sun was , even though he had watched by George 's side until midnight , and was only waiting for the professional nurse to relieve Ralph from his duty of watcher , before beginning the work he had proposed to do . During the night it had seemed as if George had recovered consciousness for a few moments , although he had not spoken , and the physician , who had remained at the farm-house , was called to the patient 's side . This brief revival of consciousness , to be followed immediately by a fever , was what the medical man had predicted , and he then said that George would appear to be very much worse in the morning ; but that it was the turning of the fever which would show whether he was ever to regain the full possession of all his faculties . Therefore , when the morning came , and George , in a high fever , seemed to be very near death his friends were much less alarmed for his safety than they would have been , had the change not been expected .