three o'clock in the morning
The high wind lasted for fully half an hour and during that time six of the tents were literally blown to ribbons , while many others suffered to a lesser extent . A quarter of the shelters laid flat in the mud , and nothing could be done with these until the wind went down . `` It 's the worst blow I have seen since we have held our encampments , '' was Captain Putnam 's comment , and he and the teachers went around with lanterns to aid the students as much as they could . By three o'clock in the morning the storm was over and the stars began to peep forth from behind the clouds . As tired as they were the cadets had to set to work to put up the tents and arrange their cots as best they could . Camp-fires were lit in half a dozen places and the students huddled around these to dry themselves and get warm . `` I guess this is a touch of real army life , '' said Dick .