midnight
The dull sound of blows , the gurgle and trickle of the water , the occasional grunt or brief comment of a riverman alone broke the calm of evening . Now that the sluice-gate was down and the water had ceased temporarily to flow over it , the work went faster . Orde , watching with the eye of an expert , vouchsafed to the taciturn Newmark that he thought they 'd make it . Near midnight , however , a swaying lantern was seen approaching . Orde , leaping to his feet with a curse at the boy on watch , heard the sound of wheels . A moment later , Daly 's bulky form stepped into the illumination of the fire . Orde wandered over to where his principal stood peering about him .