midnight
The guard caught her arm , supporting her as she made her way to the street . In fifteen minutes she had returned to the dressmaker 's and from there called another carriage and went home . The guard had no sooner turned his back than Ned Vaughan quickly opened and read the precious message which gave the plan of escape . When the sentinel on his corridor was changed at midnight the blond , blue-eyed boy would be his friend and explain . When he found the rope ladder concealed on the roof it was raining . He fastened it carefully in the shadow of an offset in the outer wall and waited for the appearance of the guard . As he passed the gas lamp post and the flickering light fell on his face he studied it with care .