eleven o'clock
I remember how , one dark autumn evening , when I had slipped in , I listened , while Komag-Nils -- the man with the yellow hair and death 's - head grin when he laughed -- told a dreadful ghost story from Erlandsen 's predecessor 's time . At that time there stood an old store-house not far from the parsonage . One Christmas Eve they sat drinking and merry-making in the warehouse . At eleven o'clock the ale gave out , and a man named Rasmus , who was a strong , courageous fellow , was sent to the store-house , where the beer-cask lay , to fill a large pewter jug , which he took with him . When he got there , Rasmus set the lantern on the cask , and began to draw . When the jug was full , and he was just meditating putting it to his lips , he saw , over the beer barrel , lying with its body in the shadow , where all the barrels stood in a row , a terribly big , broad , dark form , from which there came an icy breath , as if from a door that stood open ; it blinked at him with two great eyes like dull , horn lanterns , and said : `` A thief at the Christmas ale '' ! But Rasmus did not neglect his opportunity .