midnight
-- the footman had already learned his name -- `` hold your noise . There ! '' He set the lamp on the head of the beer cask and returned to bed . It is believed that poor perplexed Dumps viewed the midnight apparition with silent surprise , and wagged his tail , being friendly ; then gazed at the lamp after the apparition had retired , until obliged to give the subject up , like a difficult conundrum , and finally went to sleep -- perchance to dream -- of dogs , or me ! It was while Dumps was thus engaged that Brassey and the Slogger walked up to the front of the house and surveyed it in silence for a few minutes . They also took particular observations of both ends of the street . `` All serene , '' said Brassey ; `` now , you go round to the back and use your key quietly .