midnight
This was all the information that Caleb could afford the visitants . It was so lame and incredible that they began to charge the man with falsehood , and to threaten him with legal animadversion . Just then Mr. Ellis entered the house , and , being made acquainted with the subject of discourse , told all that he himself knew . He related the midnight visit which I had paid him , explained my former situation in the family , and my disappearance in September . He stated the advice he had given me to carry Eliza to her uncle 's , and my promise to comply with his counsel . The uncle declared he had seen nothing of his niece , and Caleb added , that , when she set out , she took the road that led to town . These hints afforded grounds for much conjecture and suspicion .