midnight
Beyond the town , two or three hundred feet up the steep mountain side , is a large white house , with a royal flag of Spain flaunting before it . That must be the governor 's house ; that must be the abode of the Rose of Torridge . There are ships of war in the landing-place . Amyas 's plan was to wait till midnight , attack the town on the west , plunder the government storehouses , and then fight their way back to their boats . To reach the governor 's house seemed impossible with the small force at their disposal . But Frank would not have their going away without doing the very thing for which they came . `` I will go up to that house , Amyas , and speak with her ! ''