nine o'clock
It 's hard to save a patient that do n't want to save himself . If he 'd fight for his life as he did in the arctic , we could pull him through yet . Otherwise -- '' he shrugged his shoulders almost helplessly . The next night toward nine o'clock Lloyd took the doctor 's place at their patient 's bedside , and Pitts , without taking off his clothes , stretched himself out upon the sofa in one of the rooms on the lower floor of the house , with the understanding that the nurse was to call him in case of any change . But as the doctor was groping his way down the darkened stairway he stumbled against Adler and Kamiska . Adler was sitting on one of the steps , and the dog was on her haunches close at his side ; the two were huddled together there in the dark , broad awake , shoulder to shoulder , waiting , watching , and listening for the faint sounds that came at long intervals from the direction of the room where Bennett lay . As the physician passed him Adler stood up and saluted : `` Is he doing any better now , sir ? ''