midnight
At Breteuil Tom had another look at `` Major Piff , '' who bent his terrible , scornful gaze upon him , making poor Tom feel like an insignificant worm . But the imperious Prussian 's stare netted him not half so much in the matter of valuable data as Tom derived from his rather timid scrutiny . Yet he would almost have preferred to face the muzzle of a field-piece rather than wither beneath that arrogant , contemptuous glare . It was close on to midnight when he reached Hardivillers , passing beyond the point of the Huns ' farthest advance , and sped along the straight road for Marseille-en-Froissy , where he was to leave a relay packet for Paris . From there he intended to run down to Gournay and then northwest along the highway to the coast . He thought he had plenty of time . At Gournay they told him that some American engineers were repairing the bridge at Saumont , which had been damaged by floods , but that he might gain the north road to the coast by going back as far as Songeons and following the path along the upper Therain River , which would take him to Aumale , and bring him into the Neufchatel road .