midnight
Luckily the barn was a good distance from the house and Mrs. Barnes and Imogene were sound sleepers . But even with those advantages he did not dare attempt getting the buggy out of the barn , and decided to use the old discarded carryall , relic of `` Cap'n Abner , '' which now stood under the open shed at the rear . George Washington looked at him in sleepy wonder as he tiptoed into the barn and lit the lantern . To be led out of his stall at `` midnight 's solemn hour '' and harnessed was more than George 's equine reasoning could fathom . The harnessing was a weird and wonderful operation . Caleb 's trembling fingers were all thumbs . After a while , however , the harnessing was accomplished somehow and in some way , although whether the breeching was where the bridle should have been or vice versa was more than the harnesser would have dared swear .