midnight
He had but to swing himself out and drop to the ground , and trudge away into that romantic land -- the unknown . Yes , he would go . `` Good-bye , dear mother ; father , good-bye ! '' he whispered softly ; and the next moment one foot was over the window-sill , and he was about to drop , when a miserably absurd sound rose on the midnight air , a sound which made him dart back into his room like some guilty creature , as there rang out the strange cry : `` He -- haw , he -- haw ! '' as dismal a bray as Solomon had ever uttered in his life ; and for no reason whatever , as it seemed , Dick Winthorpe went back and sat upon his bed thinking of the wheelwright 's words : That if he went away people would declare he fired the shot . `` I ca n't help it , '' cried Dick at last , after an hour 's bitter struggle there in the darkness of the night ; and once more he ran to the window , meaning to drop out , when , as if he saw what was about to take place , Solomon roused the echoes about the old buildings with another dismal bray . `` Who can run away with a donkey crying out at him like that ! ''