midnight
The faintest and saddest of smiles for a moment played around the corners of her drawn mouth and tear-dimmed eyes as she held out her hand and said : -- `` God bless you for being so kind . '' Jack shuddered and glanced quickly round . But luckily no one heard this crushing sentimentalism , and the next moment the door closed upon her and Mrs. Johnson . It was past midnight , and the moon was riding high over the narrowing yellow river , when Jack again stepped out on deck . He had just left the captain 's cabin , and a small social game with the officers , which had served to some extent to vaguely relieve his irritation and their pockets . He had presumably quite forgotten the incident of the afternoon , as he looked about him , and complacently took in the quiet beauty of the night . The low banks on either side offered no break to the uninterrupted level of the landscape , through which the river seemed to wind only as a race track for the rushing boat .