midnight
-LRB- His speaking of Girey Khan as ` Girey ' was , to the Cossack mind , evidence of his boldness . -RRB- ` Just beyond the river he kept bragging that he knew the whole of the steppe and would lead the way straight , but we rode on and the night was dark , and my Girey lost his way and began wandering in a circle without getting anywhere : could n't find the village , and there we were . We must have gone too much to the right . I believe we wandered about well -- nigh till midnight . Then , thank goodness , we heard dogs howling . ' ` Fools ! ' said Daddy Eroshka .