midnight
The broken hip was mending slowly , but poor Pat 's age was against him , and the shock and long illness were too much for his system to fight . Dr. Henry shook his head dubiously when the captain asked questions . And , one morning at breakfast , Edwards informed him that the old man was dead . Annie had been summoned by telephone at midnight and had gone home . Captain Elisha , though not greatly surprised , was shocked and grieved . It seemed such a needless tragedy , almost like murder , although there was no malice in it . And the thought of the fatherless children and the poverty of the stricken family made him shudder .