midnight
`` Why then , Cap'n , the dying woman 's curse holds and he ca n't die ? '' says Bym , clawing at his great beard . `` He was here , Joel , in this room , '' says Penfeather , busy with powder-horn , `` man to man , knife to knife -- and I missed him . Since midnight I 've waited wi ' pistols cocked and never closed eye -- and yet here was he or ever I was aware ; for , as I sat there i ' the dark by the window above the porch , which is therefore easiest to come at , I spied Mings and him staring up at the lattice of this chamber . So here creeps I and opening the door saw him move against the open lattice yonder -- a shot no man could miss . '' `` Aye , Cap'n -- aye ? '' `` And I -- missed him , Joel -- with both weapons and I within three yards of him , aye , I missed him with both pistols . ''