midnight
The remainder of the day passed undisturbed , but as the first wan shade of twilight appeared the men began to look closely to their arms . Horns were held up to the light in order that the powder line might show , bullets were counted , and flints examined . Paul knew what it all meant . The Shawnees would attack in the darkness , and there would be all the confusion of a midnight battle , when one might not be able to tell friend from friend nor foe from foe . The sense of weirdness and awe overcame him again . They were but the tiniest of atoms in that vast wilderness , which would be just the same to-morrow and the next day , no matter who won . But Paul had in him the stuff of which heroes are made , and his strong will brought his mind back to present needs .