midnight
`` No -- just outside . '' `` Well , then , supposing , to get out of the way of the searchlight , she found her way in and discovered my seat -- how long do you guess she was there ? -- and when the bag dropped ? '' `` Any time between then -- and midnight -- when Helena found it , '' said French . `` She may have gone very soon after I saw her , leaving the bag on the seat ; or , if she stayed , on my supposition that she was there for the purpose of spying , then she probably vanished when she heard our boat drawn up , and knew that Helena and I were getting out . '' `` A long sitting ! '' said Buntingford with a laugh -- `` four hours .