midnight
The other you will hand to the custodian of Ehrenfels Castle , saying it came from his friend Roland , and is recompense for the money he lent the other day . That will be an effective letter of introduction to him . Say that I ask him to send his son with you as guide through the forest to Wiesbaden ; and so good-night and good luck to you . '' It was long after midnight when the guild came roystering up the bank of the Rhine to the barge . The moon had risen , and gave them sufficient light to steer a reasonably straight course without danger of falling into the water . Ebearhard was with them , but Greusel walked rapidly ahead , so that he might say a few words to his chief before the others arrived . `` I succeeded in preventing their talking with any stranger , but they have taken aboard enough wine to make them very difficult and rather quarrelsome if thwarted .