midnight
Having laid out the scoundrel , Vance bid the fellow follow , and taking him to Ludlow Street he left him in charge . On the way to the jail the man begged like a trooper to be released , plead that he was only joking , and that he was really only a `` crank , '' but the detective 's invariable reply was : `` I know you and until you ` open up ' and tell who employed you to ` shadow ' me , you will be kept close . '' Our hero learned from the incident the terrible risks that threatened him , and he determined to be even more careful . It was midnight when Spencer Vance arrived on the coast . He had crossed the bay alone to the outer coast and proceeded toward the cabin of old Tom Pearce . It was a windy , rainy night , and as disagreeable as could be , and , indeed , it was desolate enough without the roar of the breakers as they lashed themselves upon the beach . The detective was proceeding along when he was suddenly summoned to a halt .