midnight
At such times they were wont to loll about while reciting the many incidents of the day just gone , and planning fresh exploits for the morrow . Even last night they had thus sat and planned the expedition that had ended in adding a heavier gloom to the night . The fire-flies flickered their tiny lamps , the night-hawks shrieked as they swooped from the heavens , the owls hooted their dismal cries , and the wolves wailed in the distance as they fought over the remains of the antelope that had been left to them . It must have been near midnight when Bob broke an unusually long spell of silence . `` Well , old boy , '' he said , with forced brightness , `` I guess the best thing we can do is to turn in . They wo n't be back to-night , that 's certain . '' `` Yet -- one might come .