midnight
Flint asked , partly from listless curiosity , and partly with an eye to the society of psychical research . `` True as yo ' 're a settin ' thar . 'T was one night nigh onto fifteen years ago , -- good deal such a night as this heer . The old cow wuz sick that night , and as I wuz out to the barn , puttin ' hot cloths on her till past midnight . Ez I wuz comin ' into the house , I looked out , and there , jest where the mist was breakin ' away , hung a ship , lookin ' like a light under a cloud . '' `` Did you call any one ? '' queried Flint .