midnight
All 's not right in that house . '' `` Hum , '' said Ben , for lack of anything better to say . `` And for the last week , '' went on the old man , `` things has been queerer than ever . I do n't like it , I tell you , when at midnight you see a great dark thing come flying off the roof with a gleaming eye on it and a buzzing voice like a big fly . I leave it to you if that ai n't enough to scare any Christian , let alone an old man watching a factory in this lonesome part of town . '' Ben agreed ; but to tell the truth , his attention had been distracted by the old man 's description of the night-terror he had seen . In the old sailor 's mind there was little doubt that the object that had so scared the old watchman was the dirigible that Luther Barr had purchased and which the crafty old millionaire was trying out by night so as to avoid attracting any attention .