midnight
The boring finished , Billy drew a bit of wire from an inside pocket and inserted it in the hole . Then , working the wire with accustomed fingers , he turned the combination knob this way and that , feeling with the bit of wire until the tumblers should all be in line . This , too , was slow work ; but it was infinitely less liable to attract attention than any other method of safe cracking with which Billy was familiar . It was long past midnight when Captain Byrne was rewarded with success -- the tumblers clicked into position , the handle of the safe door turned and the bolts slipped back . To swing open the door and transfer the contents of the safe to the two sacks was the work of but a few minutes . As Billy rose and threw the heavy burden across a shoulder he heard a challenge from without , and then a parley . Immediately after the sound of footsteps ascending the stairway to the rooming-house came plainly to his ears , and then he had slipped the last bolt upon the rear door and was out in the yard beyond .