midnight
He dared not let himself think of the unoffending settlers trustfully sleeping in their homes . He strove to work himself up to some sort of martial ardor that might prevent him feeling like an assassin . Presently the rippling of the Kenneticook made itself heard on the quiet night , and then the dim outlines of the lonely and doomed hamlet rose into view . The midnight murderers were at the very doors before even a dog gave warning . Then several curs raised a shrill alarm , and a great mastiff , chained to his kennel in the yard of the largest house , snapped his chain and sprang upon the raiders . The dog bore an Indian to the ground , and then fell dead , with a tomahawk buried in his skull . At the same moment the long , strident yell of the Micmacs rang through the hamlet , and a half dozen hatchets beat in every door .