about three o'clock in the morning
Zac and Terry talked for a long time over the plan , trying to chat in an off-hand and careless manner , so as not to excite any suspicion . No suspicion appeared to be raised among the Acadians , who took no notice of them whatever . So Zac and Terry had sufficient opportunity to arrange all the details of the plan , and it was decided that Terry should indicate to Jericho what was to be done by him . It was agreed that the best time would be about three o'clock in the morning ; for then the Acadians below would all be in their soundest sleep , while those who kept watch on deck would probably , in accordance with their usual careless fashion , be sunk into a slumber no less sound . Terry at length left Zac , and moved about in a desultory fashion , after which he finally settled down among the Acadians , and began to sing to them the immortal strain of St. Patrick . Although Zac had upon his mind the weight of such an important enterprise , yet it did not at all interfere with his usual slumbers . He went to bed at nine , and slept soundly .