three o'clock
in the morning
He was informed that the waggon from Newcastle to London had halted there two nights ago , and that it would be an easy matter to overtake it , if not the next day , at farthest , the day after the next . This piece of news gave us some satisfaction ; and , after having made a hearty supper on hashed mutton , we were shown to our room , which contained two beds , the one allotted for us , and the other for a very honest gentleman , who , we were told , was then drinking below . Though we could have very well dispensed with his company , we were glad to submit to this disposition , as there was not another bed empty in the house ; and accordingly went to rest , after having secured our baggage under the bolster . About two or three o'clock in the morning I was awaked out of a very profound sleep by a dreadful noise in the chamber , which did not fail to throw me into an agony of consternation , when I heard these words pronounced with a terrible voice : `` Blood and wounds ! run the halbert into the guts of him that 's next you , and I 'll blow the other 's brains out presently . '' This dreadful salutation had no sooner reached the ears of Strap than , starting out of bed , he ran against somebody in the dark , and overturned him in an instant ; at the same time bawling out , `` Fire ! murder !