nearly midnight
He walks boldly , so you can hear him , while the others creep up . It is the Tory gang , all right . '' `` Likely you are right . '' It was now nearly midnight , and so it was time for the Tories to put in their appearance , if they were to make the attack that night , as Mr. Foster had heard them say they would do . Closer sounded the footsteps , and then they ceased and there came a knock on the door . Dick did not answer , as he did not want the fellow to suspect that the inmates of the house were awake and on the alert . The youths , gripping tightly their rifles and muskets , waited .