midnight
He recognized Penn 's handwriting on the note , and immediately hastened with it to Virginia 's room . A minute after she was reading it to her father at his bedside . It was written with a pencil on a leaf torn from a little blank book in which Pomp kept a sort of diary ; but never had gilt-edged or perfumed billet afforded the blind old minister and his daughter such unalloyed delight . It was long past midnight when Pomp and Cudjo returned to the cave , bringing with them not only Penn 's garments , but a goodly stock of provisions , which Cudjo had hinted to Toby would be acceptable , and , more precious still , a letter from Mr. Villars , written by his daughter 's own hand . Penn now began to sit up a little every day . Gloomy as the cave was , it was not an unwholesome abode even for an invalid . The atmosphere was pure , cool , and bracing ; the temperature uniform .