midnight
The Master glanced at the luminous dial of his wrist-watch . `` Almost to the dot , '' he whispered . `` Seventeen minutes to midnight . At midnight , sharp , we take possession . Come ! '' They trailed through a hard , rocky path among thick oak , pine , and silver-birch . Now and then the little greenish-white light will-o ' - the-wisped ahead , flickering hither , yon .