midnight
The streets occupied by the dwellings of well-to-do inhabitants had , for the most part , escaped , but in the suburbs , where the poorer part of the population dwelt , the havoc was something terrible . Parties of soldiers and sailors were hard at work here , clearing the ruins away and bringing out the dead and injured . Will , after saying good-bye to his friends at their door , joined one of these parties , and until late at night laboured by torchlight . At midnight he went to Mr. Palethorpe 's house , to which he had promised to return , and slept till morning . Two long days were occupied in this work , and even then there was much to be done in the way of clearing the streets of the debris and restoring order . Not until this was finished did Will cease from his labours . He then drove up with Mr. Palethorpe to his estate .