midnight
I rested awhile and felt a little better . No bones were broken . I could walk slowly , and as mother 's provision store was not far away , I decided to take the risk of finding a cellar window open there . So , painfully limping along back streets and resting in dark corners , I arrived at my destination at midnight , and found that a window had been left open . It was a brave task to jump down but better than staying out all night , so I set my teeth and leaped softly in . I was greeted with a snarl and hiss which sounded like a bunch of fire-crackers going off , and there was mother on guard , standing with arched back in front of a box of newly-born kittens in a dark corner . I crept toward her and with a cry of delight she recognized me .