midnight
They turned and saw the strange dog standing within a few feet of where Potter was lying , and _ facing _ Potter , with his nose pointing heavenward . `` Oh , geeminy , it 's _ him _ ! '' exclaimed both boys , in a breath . `` Say , Tom -- they say a stray dog come howling around Johnny Miller 's house , ` bout midnight , as much as two weeks ago ; and a whippoorwill come in and lit on the banisters and sung , the very same evening ; and there ai n't anybody dead there yet . '' `` Well , I know that . And suppose there ai n't . Did n't Gracie Miller fall in the kitchen fire and burn herself terrible the very next Saturday ? ''