twelve o'clock
Again and again he fancied he had come upon it , but was speedily convinced of his mistake . Even in one who had his eyesight , however , such a failure would not surprise those who understand how rapidly as well as constantly the whole faces of some cliffs are changing by the fall of portions -- destroying the very existence of some caves , and utterly changing the mouths of others . From a desire of secrecy , occasioned by the haunting dread of its approaching necessity , day and night being otherwise much alike to him , Duncan generally chose the night for his wanderings amongst the rocks , and probings of their hollows . One night , or rather morning , for he believed it was considerably past twelve o'clock , he sat weary in a large open cave , listening to the sound of the rising tide , and fell fast asleep , his bagpipes , without which he never went abroad , across his knees . He came to himself with a violent start , for the bag seemed to be moving , and its last faint sound of wail was issuing . Heavens ! there was a baby lying upon it .