midnight
However that may be , that night was a night of panicky desperation . Ezra walked beside the oxen and shouted and swung his lash , and the oxen strained forward bellowing so that not even Dulcie could sleep , but whimpered fretfully in her mother 's arms . Buddy sat up wide-eyed and watched for the big river , and tried not to be a ` fraid-cat and cry like Dulcie . It was long past starry midnight when a little wind puffed out of the darkness and the oxen threw up their heads and sniffed , and put a new note into their `` M-baw-aw-aw-mm ! '' They swung sharply so that the wind blew straight into the front of the wagon , which lurched forward with a new impetus . `` Glo-ory t ' Gawd , Missy ! dey smells watah , sho 's yo ' bawn ! ''