midnight
And he had come to the Crow 's Nest in the most wonderful manner , taking them unawares -- and himself too ! Their little bodies tingled with excitement ; every other minute they crept out , meddling with the wonderful machine , which was outside sleeping in the moonlight . But Ditte soon put a stop to this and ordered them to bed . The two brothers sat chatting until after midnight , and the children struggled against sleep as long as they possibly could , so as not to lose anything . But sleep overcame them at last , and Ditte too had to give in . She would not go to bed before the men , and fell asleep over the back of a chair . Morning came , and with it a sense of joy ; the children opened their eyes with the feeling that something had been waiting for them by the bedside the whole night to meet them with gladness when they woke -- what was it ?