about midnight
She laughed genially as she added , `` Can you throw any light upon the question whether I am likely to get my three dozen ? I have had no news as yet . '' `` The man had taken a good many ; we saw them but did not count them . He started about midnight for the ranger 's shelter , where he said he should sleep till daybreak , so as to make up his full tale betimes . '' Yram had heard her son complain that there were no shelters on the preserves , and state his intention of having some built before the winter . Here too , then , the man 's story must be false . She changed the conversation for the moment , but quietly told a servant to send high and low in search of her son , and if he could be found , to bid him come to her at once .