about three o'clock in the morning
Owing to the lack of men in the village their importance had increased also , and they liked it . Under Will 's eye they worked with remarkable zeal , and a band of living light surrounded the entire corral . Other lights blazed at points about the village , as they intended to make everything safe . Will was chief of the watch , until about three o'clock in the morning . Often he went among the ponies and soothed them with voice and touch , for they were generally restless . Out of the darkness , well beyond the light of the flames , came growls and the noises of fierce combat . They had skinned all the bears , and also had taken away all the eatable portions of their bodies , but other beasts had come for what was left .