midnight
That night Father Roland was restless . Hours later , when he was lying snug and warm in his own blankets , David heard him get up , and watched him as he scraped together the burned embers of the fire and added fresh fuel to them . The flap of the tent was back a little , so that he could see plainly . It could not have been later than midnight . The Missioner was fully dressed , and as the fire burned brighter David could see the ruddy glow of his face , and it struck him that it looked singularly boyish in the flame-glow . He did not guess what was keeping the Missioner awake until a little later he heard him among the dogs , and his voice came to him , low and exultingly , and as boyish as his face had seemed : `` We 'll be home to-morrow , boys -- _ home _ ! '' That word -- home -- sounded oddly enough to David up here three hundred miles from civilization .