midnight
And it struck Master Raymond the same way ; while Master English had no objection , especially as it was mainly for Dulcibel that the jailer would open the prison doors . And this was better than the violence he had at first contemplated ; for , as his vessels gradually began to accumulate in port , owing to the interruption to his business caused by his arrest , he had only to give the word , and a party of his sailors would have broken open the prison some dark night , and released him from captivity . The `` Albatross , '' Master English 's fastest sailer at length came into port ; and the arrangements were speedily made . The first north-westerly wind , whether the night were clear or stormy -- though of course with such a wind it would probably be clear -- the attempt was to be made , immediately after midnight . Uncle Robie was to unlock the jail-doors , let them out , lock the doors again behind them , and have a plentiful supply of witch stories to account for the escape . And Master Raymond had some hopes also , that Abigail Williams would come to the jailer 's support in anything that seemed to compromise him in the least ; for he had promised to send her a beautiful gift from England , when he returned home again . And with such a sharpener to the vision , the precocious child would be able to see even more wonderful things than any she had already testified to .