about midnight
The sounds of their voices and of rocks that crunched beneath their boots alone disturbed the great , eternal calm ; but the search was vain . The searchers had known it could be of no avail , for the puny foot of man could have made no track upon the slanted floor of granite fragments that constituted the hill-side . It was something to do for Jim , and that was all . At length , about midnight , it came to an end . They lingered on the slope , however , to offer their theories , invariably hopeful , and to say that Monday morning would accomplish miracles in the way of setting everything aright . Many were supperless when all save Jim and little Keno had again returned to Borealis and left the two alone at the cabin . `` We 'll save the milk in case he might come home by any chance , '' said the gray old miner , and he placed the cup on a shelf against the wall .