midnight
`` I 'll bear it in mind , O worthy teacher . Your great age and vast learning compel me to respect your commands . '' The new trail , which was like a narrow current in the broad stream of that left by the flying train , was now rapidly growing warmer . The speed of the thirty was so great that it became evident to Tayoga that they would overtake the strange band long before midnight . `` They stopped here and talked together a little while , '' he said , when they had been following the trail about two hours . `` They stood by the side of the path . Their footprints are gathered in a group .