nearly midnight
`` Indeed , Ralph , I will , '' he answered solemnly ; and I felt that she was as safe as she would have been had I accompanied her . The moon was now shining brightly , and enabled the lieutenant and his companions to pursue their way at a rapid rate . They took no baggage except such as could be strapped to the saddles of their horses ; they were , therefore , not impeded as we had been by slow-moving mules . It was nearly midnight when they set off ; and as little noise as possible was made when they left the house , in case any of the enemy 's scouts watching in the neighbourhood might hear them . The stranger Indian had , some time before the party set off , thrown himself on a buffalo robe in a corner of the room , and was apparently asleep ; but I suspected that he knew pretty well all that was going forward . He remained , however , without moving , as if in a sound slumber . As soon as Uncle Jeff and I returned -LRB- we had accompanied our friends a little way down the hill -RRB- , Uncle Jeff addressed his small garrison .