midnight
As he urged the driver faster along the road he speculated on the best method of entering camp . He had been late several times recently , and he knew that were he caught again his name would probably be stricken from the list of officer candidates . He wondered if he had not better dismiss the taxi and take a chance on passing the sentry in the dark . Still , officers often rode past the sentries after midnight ... `` Halt ! '' The monosyllable came from the yellow glare that the headlights dropped upon the changing road . The taxi-driver threw out his clutch and a sentry walked up , carrying his rifle at the port . With him , by an ill chance , was the officer of the guard .