midnight
In due time all thoughts of the enemy they had left astern gave way to speculations concerning those they might find before them . The latitude of Hatteras Inlet was thought to be particularly dangerous ; but that was passed in the night and Marcy breathed easily again , until Beardsley began to take a slant in toward the shore , and then there was another season of suspense . But the day drew to a close without bringing any suspicious smoke or sail to add to their fears , and when darkness came Crooked Inlet was not more than thirty miles away . If the strong and favoring wind that then filled the schooner 's sails held out , her keel would be plowing the waters of the Sound by midnight or a little later , and Captain Beardsley 's commission would be safe . At least that was what the latter told Marcy ; and , while he talked , he jingled some keys in his pocket with as much apparent satisfaction as though they were the dollars he hoped to put there in a few days more . But the old saying that there is many a slip came very near holding true in Beardsley 's case . The latter was so certain that he had left all danger behind him , and that he had nothing more to do but sail in at his leisure and land his cargo when he got ready , that he did not think it worth while to man the crosstrees after nightfall ; consequently there was no watchful lookout to warn him of the suspicious looking object that moved slowly out of the darkness a mile or so ahead , and waited for him to come up .