midnight
`` I 've known you to do the same when you had one of those puzzles , trying to work it , '' chuckled Jack Stormways . `` Fact is , I remember that once you told me you sat up till two o'clock in the morning over that ring business . '' `` But I got her , Jack -- remember that ; wo n't you ? If I had n't I 'd been burning the midnight oil yet , I reckon . ` Taint safe to make _ me _ a present of a puzzle , because I 'm just dead sure to nearly split my poor weak brain trying to figger it out . And Jack , I 'll never be happy till I know what was in those boxes ; and why did that sly little professor believe someone wanted to steal his thunder and lightning ? '' It took several loads to carry all their traps down to the boats .