midnight
Presently Ingolby felt the floor of the bridge under his feet ; and now he hastened on , with outstretched arms and head bent forward , listening intently , the dog trotting beside , with what knowledge working in him Heaven alone knew . The roar of the Rapids below was a sonorous accompaniment to Ingolby 's wild thoughts . One thing only he felt , one thing only heard -- the men in Barbazon 's Tavern saying that the bridge should be blown up on the Saturday night ; and this was Saturday night -- the night of the day following that of the Orange funeral . He had heard the criminal hireling of Felix Marchand say that it should be done at midnight , and that the explosive should be laid under that part of the bridge which joined the Manitou bank of the Sagalac . As though in very truth he saw with his eyes , he stopped short not far from the point where the bridge joined the land , and stood still , listening . For several minutes he was motionless , intent , as an animal waiting for its foe . At last his newly-sensitive ears heard footsteps approaching and low voices .