midnight
The zigzags increased in length , the trees became sparse ; the rescue party came out upon the great plateau at the foot of the peaks called the Plan des Aiguilles , and stopped at the mountain inn built upon its brow , just over Chamonix . The evening had come , below them the mists were creeping along the hillsides and blotting the valley out . `` We will stop here , '' said Michel Revailloud , as he stepped on to the little platform of earth in front of the door . `` If we start again at midnight , we shall be on the glacier at daybreak . We can not search the Glacier des Nantillons in the dark . '' Chayne agreed reluctantly . He would have liked to push on if only to lull thought by the monotony of their march .