midnight
This charmed the snake and it uncoiled itself from Billy and , swaying its body , crawled toward the snake charmer . The second that Billy felt its coils slip from his body , he took a long breath and ran from the tent not even stopping to wiggle his head in thanks for his preservation . Once outside , he made his way back to his own tent where he lay down on his pile of straw to snatch a little sleep before daylight , as unconcerned as if nothing had happened . -LSB- Illustration -RSB- _ Billy and the Snakes _ The next day after Billy 's midnight prowl which was Saturday , there was great commotion among the circus people , for the leading lady accused her rival , the brunette , of coming into her dressing room while she slept and destroying her blonde wig ; while the pop-corn man said thieves had been at his stand and broken his glass case and eaten his pop-corn , beside they had spilled all his lemonade that he had intended using the next day ; the night watchman was going to be discharged for not attending to his business ; then the Indian snake charmer came along and told them the thief had visited his tent but his snakes had frightened him away . `` And he was a big fellow I can tell you . I did not dare tackle him . '' `` Oh my ! ''