midnight
There had been a misunderstanding . I got the Suttons to drive me out while mother supposed me at the Laurents ' , and Mr. Jerrold promised to meet me east of the bridge and drive in town with us , and I was to send him back in Graves 's buggy . He had been refused permission to leave the post , he said , and could not cross the bridge , where the sentries would be sure to recognize him , but , as it was our last chance of meeting , he risked the discovery of his absence , never dreaming of such a thing as his private rooms being inspected . He had a little skiff down in the willows that he had used before , and by leaving the party at midnight he could get home , change his dress , run down the bank and row down-stream to the Point , there leave his skiff and climb up to the road . He met us there at one o'clock , and the Suttons would never betray either of us , though they did not know we were engaged . We sat in their parlor a quarter of an hour after we got to town , and then 't was time to go , and there was only a little ten minutes ' walk down to the stable . I had seen him such a very short time , and I had so much to tell him . ''