midnight
This he had said in the native tongue , having by that time acquired a few sentences , of which he made the best and most frequent use possible . Going to the guard of these slaves , he presented his paper , and said that he should come personally for them early in the morning . Then he returned to the laboratory and assisted his comrades to load the firework cases with various kinds of `` fire , '' stars , golden rain , etcetera . The young cannon especially was loaded , with a succession of surprises , to the very muzzle , before midnight . `` Suppose he bust ! '' suggested Ebony , with a solemn visage . `` De Queen ob Madigascur be blow 'd into middle ob nixt week -- hey ? ''