midnight
That much had been proved when he had fallen down in the matter of the work he had been sent out to do . If she had a chance the girl might even persuade him to let her escape , which was not going to do at all . If anybody was to be left holding the sack at the end of the adventure , it would not be Bill Talpers ! With various stratagems being brought to mind , only to be rejected one after another , Talpers watched the tent until midnight , the half-breed sleeping near at hand . Then Bill turned in while McFann kept watch . As for Helen , she slept the sleep of exhaustion until wakened by the touch of daylight on the canvas . With senses preternaturally sharpened , as they generally are during one 's first hours in the wilderness , Helen listened .