midnight
Then , having listened to the beating of the wounded man 's heart , he reassured us with a nod . All would be right . Next , from an inner pocket he drew a pocket-book , out of the first division of which dropped a black mask , like those worn at the assault upon Marnhoul , with pierced eyeholes and strings for fastening behind the ears . There were also a few papers and a card on which was printed a name -- `` Wringham Pollixfen Poole '' ; and then underneath , written in pencil in a neat lawyer-like hand , were the words , `` Consultation at the Old Port at midnight to-morrow . '' At this we all looked at one another with a renewal of our perturbation . The firm of Smart , Poole and Smart had existed in Dumfries for a long time , and was highly considered . But in these troubled times one never knew how far his neighbour might have been led .