midnight
Any other man would have thrown up his commission in disgust , but not so Major Maitland . He persevered unflaggingly , although a sub-committee had been appointed to act with him and check his proceedings . The secretary of this very sub-committee , who was also treasurer , was one of the causes of the failure of the enterprise , for when the march began neither he nor the funds with which he had been entrusted could be found . After the club meetings in the evening there was often an adjournment to Caillaud 's lodgings , where the Major , Zachariah , Caillaud , and Pauline sat up till close upon midnight . One evening there was an informal conference of this kind prior to the club meeting on the following night . The Major was not present , for he was engaged in making some arrangements for the commissariat on the march . He had always insisted on it that they were indispensable , and he had been bitterly opposed the week before by some of his brethren , who were in favour of extempore foraging which looked very much like plunder .