midnight
He returned to the waiting room and sat there very quietly until the time was nearly up , then went out and found the proper car without further difficulty . That long night 's ride was interesting though tiresome . Ralph tried to count the telegraph poles without understanding much about their uses . The low , level country , the tall trunks of the pines , the ever present negroes , the sparks from the engine , and the occasional interruptions from the conductor , kept him from sleep until long after midnight . Finally , however , he coiled himself up on the seat and knew nothing more until some one shook him by the shoulder . `` Is yo ' gwine ter stay in yere all day ? '' asked a voice .