midnight
As yet his mind had found no room for thoughts of individual suffering . It was a wreck , and he had always wished to see a wreck . The thoughts passing through his mind did not delay his footsteps , and he made such good speed that , half way to the shore , he had left Marsden far behind , and struggled on alone through the last few rods of heavy sand . When he reached the beach , several people were gathered there already : Ben Bradford and Dr. Cricket , with that dishevelled air which always marks a midnight alarm ; Michael and Leonard Davitt , who slept in their fisherman 's hut by the pond , in order to get an early morning start , and were therefore first at the scene of excitement . Michael felt all the importance of his position as first witness , and with unusual loquacity was giving an account of the catastrophe to the group around . `` I ca n't nohow account for it , '' he said ; `` that captain must be an escaped idjit to go on a lee-shore a night like this . '' `` Had the fog lifted when she struck ? ''