midnight
What would have happened it is difficult to say had not their attention been suddenly claimed by a couple of shots which rang out from the direction of the gorge . Pepin released his hold on Antoine , and that resourceful creature took the opportunity of revenging himself by picking up his master 's hat and trotting off with it in his mouth . He meant to put it where Pepin intended to put the little rocks . It was midnight , and Poundmaker 's prisoners , Douglas , Pasmore , Jacques , and Rory , were lying in their tepee under the charge of their armed guards . They knew the latter were asleep , and in answer to some proposition that Rory had just whispered to Jacques , the latter said -- `` So , that is so . Keel him not , but to make that he cry not . The knife to the throat , not to cut , but to silence , that is the thing . ''