midnight
He prayed now that the Norther would cease , but his prayer was of no avail . It whistled and moaned about him , and snow and hail were continually driven in his face . Fortunately the brim of the sombrero protected his eyes . He floundered on until midnight . The Norther was blowing as fiercely as ever , and he and Old Jack were brought up by a thicket too dense for them to penetrate . Ned understood now that he was lost . Instinct had failed absolutely .