midnight
There he found the helpless , blood-covered Ogbot , bound hand and foot and almost dead from loss of blood . The clothes of the American were on the floor , while his own were missing , gone with the prisoner . Ogbot , as soon as he was able , related his experience of the night before . It was while making his rounds at midnight that he heard moans from the cell . Animated by a feeling of pity he opened the slab door and asked if he were ill . The wretched American was lying on the bed , apparently suffering . He said something which the guard could not understand but which he took to be a plea for assistance .