midnight
The night , however , passed quietly . The next day the knight sallied out with a strong party of retainers , and searched the woods and lower slopes of the hill , but could find no signs of Archie and his followers , and at nightfall returned to the castle in a rage , declaring that the defiance sent him was a mere piece of insolent bravado . Nevertheless , he kept the horses again saddled all night ready to issue out at the slightest alarm . Soon after midnight flames suddenly burst out at a dozen of the homesteads . At the warder 's shout of alarm Sir John Kerr and his men-at-arms instantly mounted . The gate was thrown open and the drawbridge lowered , and Sir John rode out at the head of his following . He was within a few feet of the outer end of the drawbridge when the chains which supported this suddenly snapped .