midnight
On the far side of this obstacle he had stopped , and had waited for his friend to follow . But the friend had not followed . Instead , he had been somehow responsible for a spurt of red flame and for a most thrilling racket . Lad was more impressed than ever by the man 's wondrous possibilities as a midnight entertainer . He waited , gayly expectant , for more . He got it . There was a second rackety explosion and a second puff of lightning from the man 's out-flung hand .