midnight
It was only six months ago that this first-born child had been laid in her arms ; and as she lay on the white bed looking out on the spring dawning day after day , her husband sat beside her telling her again and again of the house he had made ready for her in Penn 's new settlement . She never tired of hearing of it . Some picture of this far-off home must have come to the poor girl as she stood now in the night , the sea-water creeping up to her naked feet , looking at the fires built , as she believed , for her child . Toward midnight a canoe came from the opposite side , into which the chief put Barrow , Dickenson , the child , and its mother . Their worst fears being thus confirmed , they crossed in silence , holding each other by the hand , the poor baby moaning now and then . It had indeed been born tired into the world , and had gone moaning its weak life out ever since . Landing on the farther beach , the crowd of waiting Indians fled from them as if frightened , and halted in the darkness beyond the fires .