midnight
News of the greatest import was expected during the night . A child was coming to the pathetic little widow of Cruise , the radio-man . Two messengers had gone down to the landing to wait for the report to be shouted from the afterdeck of the Doraine , -- Soapy Shay and Buck Chizler , the jockey . Now they were returning , -- and it was nearing midnight . They drew near , the lantern buffeting the legs of the one-time diamond thief as he swung along in the rear of the more active jockey . `` It 's a girl , '' called out Buck to the silent mob . Not a sound , not a word from the eager crowd .