midnight
Her first feeling was one of intense happiness and relief . The storm was over at last -- the longest storm she had ever known . Surely , now , she thought , the _ Hoonah _ would come . Though she knew it must be after midnight there was a murmur of voices in the living-room . A chair scraped along the floor . Then came Kayak Bill 's tones , distinctly and with a gravity that sent a chill through her . He was evidently concluding some argument .