midnight
This meant that he must not be given an opportunity to run and so render shooting necessary . If , however , he should break away , his chance of escape would be small , as each Trooper was a dead shot with the weapons he was carrying . The scheme concerted , the three officers separated , heading apart to their several starting-points . At five minutes before midnight , to the tick of their synchronized watches , each began to glide through the tall grass . But it was late September . The grass was dry . Old briar-veins dragged at brittle stalks .