midnight
Windybank felt the iron hand lifted from his shoulder . Basil was gone . For a minute he stared blankly at the bush behind which he had disappeared . A warning signal , `` At midnight , remember ! '' came to his ears , and awoke him from his half-stupor . He shook himself , tried to answer , uttered no word , then passed on . He entered his house with a face that matched his ruff in its sickly yellow colouring .