midnight
I expect she has been catching it from him pretty well . '' The plan that the little band of searchers had formed was to follow the road taken by Geoffrey until they got to the top of the steep brow of the hill , and then , leaving the road , to strike across the grass , for it was probable that Margaret had essayed the short cut to Windy Gap , and that she might be wandering about hopelessly lost not very far from the point where she had left the road . In any case , they resolved not to stay out for more than an hour or so , but to return home at the end of that time and find out what news Geoffrey had of her . But it was not until the town hall clock was solemnly striking midnight that the four searchers , who had set out so gaily and valiantly at half-past seven , turned wearily in at their own gate . The thing they did not believe possible had happened , and long before the hour they had planned to stay out was over , they were hopelessly lost themselves , and must , as Maud said with a groan , have walked miles and miles before they found themselves quite by chance not far from the point where they had first left the road . They were tired and hungry , damp , and very cold ; and the last time Edward had tripped and tumbled headlong into a furze bush -- they had each had so many stumbles and falls that they had lost count of the number they had had -- he dropped his new bicycle lamp , and had been unable to find it again . Their expedition could not therefore be termed a success , and Maud said that the last straw would be if they heard directly they got in that Margaret had been found hours ago .