midnight
Mr. Bell gazed at her admiringly . `` You are right , my dear , and I 'm a selfish old bear , '' he said , `` but just the same , not all gold-seekers make desirable neighbors . Many desperate men are among them . '' Peggy 's mind wandered back to that midnight conversation she had overheard on the porch of the National House . But the same dread of ridicule that she had experienced then still held her , and she refrained from mentioning it . By noon , with such good will did they work , that not only was one of the monoplanes erected and ready for flight , but a second was partially assembled , and only required the finishing touches to be in readiness for its aerial dash . While the boys , with the girls eagerly helping them , worked on the flying machine , Mr. Bell carefully studied a map he had made of the mine 's location , and tested his compass .