midnight
His father urged him to go to college , but he went into the woods and was glad to be there , at the head of affairs . The operations on the old tracts , thinned by many cuttings , had been keeping him closely on the job , because there were problems to be solved if profits were to be handled . His stroke in getting hold of the Walpole tract promised profits without problems ; there were just so many trees to cut down -- and the river was handy ! In spite of his weariness , Ward sat till midnight on the porch with his father , going over their plans . The young man surveyed the Latisan mill and the houses of the village while he talked ; the moon lighted all and the mill loomed importantly , reflected in the still water of the pond . If Craig prevailed , the mill and the homes must be left to rot , empty , idle , and worthless . As Ward viewed it , the honor of the Latisans was at stake ; the spirit of old John blazed in the grandson ; but he declared his intention to fight man fashion , if the fight were forced on him .