midnight
I found that I was alone , since Bickley and Bastin had gone to fill our bottles with the Life-water . Presently they returned and we ate a little ; with that water to drink one did not need much food . It was a somewhat silent meal , for our circumstances were a check on talk ; moreover , I thought that the others looked at me rather oddly . Perhaps they guessed something of my midnight visit to the temple , but if so they thought it wisest to say nothing . Nor did I enlighten them . Shortly after we had finished Yva appeared . She was wonderfully quiet and gentle in her manner , calm also , and greeted all of us with much sweetness .