nearly midnight
I do n't suppose that anybody threw that down at me , '' he continued , in a half-doubting voice , as he stepped a few paces back and again peered into the gloom . If it had been during the day-time , he might have suspected that some scamp had managed to pry the mass loose , and to send it crashing downward straight for his head . But as the case stood , such a thing could not have taken place . Fred continued his flight until nearly midnight , by which time his fatigue became so great that he began to hunt a place in which to spend the remainder of the night . He had not yet seen any wild animals , and was hopeful that he would suffer no disturbance from them . The single charge of his rifle was to precious to be thrown away upon any such game as that . The lad was in the very act of leaving the ravine , when his step was arrested by a sound too distinct to be mistaken .