midnight
`` How far do you reckon we are from St. Leger 's force ? '' I asked , when Sergeant Corney threw himself on the ground within shelter of a clump of bushes , as if for a long halt . `` Three miles or more from their lines of sentinels , if they 've got any out , an ' we 're none too far away , ` cordin ' to my figgerin ' . After sunset we 'll work in toward 'em ; but there need n't be any hurry , for I 'm reckonin ' that we do n't want to do much work till after midnight . If Jacob is still free to do as he pleases , there 's little danger he 'll come to grief ` twixt now an ' mornin ' . '' `` Unless he should see them torturin ' his father , an ' then it 's certain he 'd make a fight , no matter how great the odds against him , '' I suggested , thinking of what I would be tempted to do under similar circumstances . `` In that case we 're better off where we are .