midnight
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 . The sharp report of a gun was heard , and loud groans followed , which seemed to shake everything within like a clap of midnight thunder , and my brain seemed to reel , for deeds were going on I dare not look upon . Soon after , some one , whom I took to be Mayall , for I could see by the light of the stars he had a gun in his hand , came and drove his cow out of the garden . Mrs. Mayall then told me her husband would be back in the course of an hour , and they would then be out of all danger ; that her husband was then near the house . Our fears seemed to vanish , and we commenced talking and anticipating what had happened .