midnight
Something had to be said . '' The smoking and yarning had ended . Darkness had settled over the camp but a short while , when every one was sound asleep . It must have been near midnight when a number of us were aroused by the same disturbance . The boys sat bolt upright and listened eagerly . We were used to being awakened by shots , and the cause of our sudden awakening was believed to be the same , -- a shot . While the exchange of opinion was going the round , all anxiety on that point was dispelled by a second shot , the flash of which could be distinctly seen across the river below the ford .