nine
o'clock
But he had a sharp knife , which he thought would answer the purpose equally well . It was rather hard for O'Reilly to keep awake till midnight-the earliest hour which he thought prudent-but the motive which impelled him was sufficiently strong to induce even this sacrifice . So , as the shadows darkened , and the night came on , Patrick O'Reilly forced himself to lie awake , while he waited eagerly for the hour of midnight . Meanwhile , Richard Dewey and Ki Sing lay down at nine o'clock and sought refreshment in sleep . Both were fatigued , but it was the Chinaman who first lost consciousness . Dewey scanned with curiosity the bland face of his guest , looking childlike and peaceful , as he lay by his side . `` I wonder if he is dreaming of his distant home in China , '' thought Dewey .