midnight
And we ran on hopefully to the third one , and hallooed . No answer ! The case was becoming serious . it was now past midnight . The hotels at Skiplake and Henley would be crammed ; and we could not go round , knocking up cottagers and householders in the middle of the night , to know if they let apartments ! George suggested walking back to Henley and assaulting a policeman , and so getting a night 's lodging in the station-house . But then there was the thought , `` Suppose he only hits us back and refuses to lock us up ! ''