midnight
But Thursday night promised better . Tom slipped out in good season with his aunt 's old tin lantern , and a large towel to blindfold it with . He hid the lantern in Huck 's sugar hogshead and the watch began . An hour before midnight the tavern closed up and its lights -LRB- the only ones thereabouts -RRB- were put out . No Spaniard had been seen . Nobody had entered or left the alley . Everything was auspicious .