midnight
Therefore I resolved to wait , and see what those two villains did , and save -LRB- if it were possible -RRB- the Earl of Brandir 's pewter box . But inasmuch as those bad men were almost sure to have seen me leaving the house and looking back , and striking out on the London road , I marched along at a merry pace , until they could not discern me ; and then I fetched a compass round , and refreshed myself at a certain inn , entitled The Cross-bones and Buttons . Here I remained until it was very nearly as dark as pitch ; and the house being full of footpads and cutthroats , I thought it right to leave them . One or two came after me , in the hope of designing a stratagem ; but I dropped them in the darkness ; and knowing all the neighbourhood well , I took up my position , two hours before midnight , among the shrubs at the eastern end of Lord Brandir 's mansion . Hence , although I might not see , I could scarcely fail to hear , if any unlawful entrance either at back or front were made . From my own observation , I thought it likely that the attack would be in the rear ; and so indeed it came to pass . For when all the lights were quenched , and all the house was quiet , I heard a low and wily whistle from a clump of trees close by ; and then three figures passed between me and a whitewashed wall , and came to a window which opened into a part of the servants ' basement .