twelve o'clock at night
`` I want Mr. Ranney to get into the room . Once in , we must secure him . If we are smart , our enterprising visitor will find himself in a trap . '' In the country it may safely be assumed that by twelve o'clock at night every sound and healthy person will be asleep . Dick Ranney gave an extra margin of half an hour , and thirty minutes after midnight made his appearance in the hotel yard . Thanks to the information given by his young messenger , Oren Trott , who , of course , did not know that in this way he was assisting a dishonest scheme , he was able to fix at once upon the windows of the rooms occupied by Walter and the professor . He decided to enter Walter 's chamber first , partly because he wanted his revolver , which would be of service to him in case he were attacked .