midnight
Whenever you think yourself safest , you will be most in danger . There is , indeed , but one place of safety for you ; come you home . '' Very soon afterwards , and before we knew of this villainy , word reached us that the baronet was lost , and could not be found . He had started on his usual nocturnal rounds in the preserves , and nobody had seen him since midnight . Old Grimjaw , the dog , had been found on the doorstep , nigh frozen to death . The news spread like wild-fire through Fairburn village . I myself joined the searchers , but soon separated from them , and passing the home spinney , near by which was the famous Wolsey oak , a tree of great age .