midnight
Together they returned to Rampart to watch for the boat . Certainly the ice was very late breaking up this year . The men of Rampart stood about in groups in the small hours of the morning of the 16th of May ; as usual , smoking , yarning , speculating , inventing elaborate joshes . Somebody remembered that certain cheechalkos had gone to bed at midnight . Now this was unprecedented , even impertinent . If the river is not open by the middle of May , your Sour-dough may go to bed -- only he does n't . Still , he may do as he lists .