Ten o'clock
Two weeks of camp life had now familiarized each lad with the duties that were assigned to him , and by working in unison supper was soon prepared . The boys lingered over the meal a good while , and it was quite dark when the dishes were washed and put away . At nine o'clock all were sleeping soundly behind the tightly drawn tent flaps , and the fire was mingling its red flashes with the moonlight glow on the rippling surface of the creek . Ten o'clock came -- eleven -- twelve . Not a breath of air was stirring ; a dead , oppressive calm , like the sultriness of noonday , had settled down on land and water . Half an hour later the west was inky black with massed storm clouds and fleecy forerunners of the coming tempest were straying one after another across the moon . All unconscious of impending danger the boys slept peacefully , nor did they awake until the storm was upon them in all its fury .