midnight before
He tried them all , but none were within his reach . Then he sat down in one of the pews and wondered what he should do next . He was wide awake now . It seemed to him that he could not close his eyes again that night , and indeed it was long after midnight before he did . He felt strangely lonely as he sat there through those endless hours , dimly hearing the voices and footsteps in the street without grow fewer and fainter , till all was silent save the clocks that rang out the creeping hours to his weary ears . At last his tired eyes closed and he slipped down on the cushioned seat and slept for a few hours , but he awoke again before daylight . It was broad daylight outside before it was light enough in the church for the boy to see clearly , and then he looked hopelessly at the high window fastenings .