midnight
But with equal ill success . Jealous with the spirit of class , no social circle would receive him . As a last resort , he dived down among the _ holders _ . A group of them sat round a lantern , in the dark bowels of the ship , like a knot of charcoal burners in a pine forest at midnight . `` Well , boys , what 's the good word ? '' said Israel , advancing very cordially , but keeping as much as possible in the shadow . `` The good word is , '' rejoined a censorious old _ holder _ , `` that you had best go where you belong -- on deck -- and not be a skulking down here where you _ do n't _ belong .