midnight
It was such a picture Merrihew and Hillard , his guide , came upon the morning following their arrival . They had not visited it during the night . They had , with the usual impatience of men , gone directly to the Campo Santa Maria Formosa for the great reward . They had watched and waited till near midnight , but in vain . For once Hillard 's usual keenness had been at fault . He had forgotten that the Campo was to be entered from two ways , by gondola and by foot . He and Merrihew had simply guarded the bridge .