one
o'clock in the morning
The road-breaking outfit crossed the canal directly and headed south by east off into the desert . Bob stopped his machine on the plank bridge , and watched them pull away into the night . Then he gave a long , speculative whistle . `` I wonder , '' he said , `` what philanthropist is abroad in the land at one o'clock in the morning ? '' Rogeen left his machine and followed on foot along the bank of the canal for two miles . The water was flowing freely . There was no sign of immediate need for dredging .