nearly midnight
As they ate Tolpec explained to Professor Bumper , who repeated it to the youths and Mr. Damon , that it had been necessary to go farther than he had intended to get the porters and mules . But the Indians were a friendly tribe , of which he was a member , and could be depended on . There was a feast and a sort of celebration in camp that night . Tom and Ned shot two deer , and these formed the main part of the feast and the Indians made merry about the fire until nearly midnight . They did not seem to mind in the least the swarms of mosquitoes and other bugs that flew about , attracted by the light . As for Tom Swift and his friends , their nets protected them . An early start was made the following morning .