one
o'clock in the morning
The Sergeant repined less at the delay ; he liked the pickings which the job brought him much better than the job itself , standing in wholesome dread of Beaumaroy . It was rather with resignation than with joy that he received from Mr. Bennett the news that Neddy had at last named the day that would suit his High Mightiness -- Tuesday the 7th of January it was , and , as it chanced , the very day before Beaumaroy was to start for Morocco ! More accurately , the attack would be delivered on the actual day of his departure -- if he went . For it was timed for one o'clock in the morning , an hour at which the road across the heath might reasonably be expected to be clear of traffic . This was an especially important point , in view of the fact that the window of the Tower faced towards the road and was but four or five yards distant from it . After a jovial dinner -- rather too jovial in Mr. Bennett 's opinion , but that was Neddy 's only fault , he would mix pleasure with business -- the two set out in an Overland car . Mr. Bennett -- whom , by the way , his big friend Neddy called `` Mike , '' and not `` Percy , '' as might have been expected -- assumed his sandy wig and red moustache as soon as they were well started ; Neddy scorned disguise for the moment , but he had a mask in his pocket .