midnight
`` Tis a fine dark night coming on , ma'am , ' he said in a low voice . ` The wind is north-east and ` twill hould well till daylight . Then ` twill come away from the south-east , sure enough . They should be there long before midnight and out of sight of land before the dawn . ' ` Yes , yes , Patrick , ' said my mother , hurriedly . ` I shall pray to-night to God for those in peril on the sea ; and to forgive us for any wrong we may have done in this matter . ' ` No harm can iver come to any wan in this house , ' said the man , earnestly , raising her hand to his lips , ` for the blessin ' av God an ' the Holy Virgin is upon it . '