midnight before
My father steered the first boat , and I the other , keeping close in his wake -- and a proud night that was for me ! We had three good miles between us and shore ; but the boats were mere shells and pulled light even with the tubs in them . So the men took it easy . I reckon that it was well past midnight before we saw the two lights which the letter had promised . After this everything went easily . The beach at Rope Hauen is steep-to ; and with the light breeze there was hardly a ripple on it . On a rising tide we ran the boats in straight upon the shingle ; and in less than a minute the kegs were being hove out .