midnight
He saw also that there was a great deal of drift-wood accumulated ; and some of it thrown into such distant corners as to prove that the waves could dash up to a much higher waterline , in stormy weather , than he had supposed . No matter ! He hoped to be gone before there were any more storms . Tired and sleepy as he was , so near midnight , he made an exertion , while there was plenty of light , to clear away the sea-weeds from a space on the sand where he must to-morrow make his fire , and broil his fish . The smell of the smallest quantity of burnt weed would be intolerable in so confined a place : so he cleared away every sprout of it , and laid some of the drift-wood on a spot above high-water mark , picking out the driest pieces of fire-wood he could find for kindling a flame . When this was done , he could have found in his heart to pick up shells , so various and beautiful were those which strewed the floor of his cave : but the sunbeam was rapidly climbing the wall , and would presently be gone , so he let the shells lie till the next night -LRB- if he should still be here -RRB- , and made haste to heap up a bed of fine dry sand in a corner ; and here he lay down as the twilight darkened , and thought he had never rested on so soft a bed . He knew it was near high-water , and he tried to keep awake , to ascertain how nearly the tide filled up the entrance ; but he was too weary , and his couch was too comfortable for this .