midnight
`` You have well won your freedom , and so easily , that methinks it might even have been secured four weeks ago and more . '' And now Allan Redmain was made master of the / Kraken / galley , with four score of skilful archers under him . And as the vessels sped down Kilbrannan Sound on this August morning he trod the deck with a proud firm step that made his long sword rattle in its sheath , and with his young heart beating quicker in anticipation of the battles that were before him . By midnight the ships , with all sails set and oars inboard , were abreast of the Mull of Kintyre , and at sunrise the next morning , beating due north the voyagers sighted the little isle of Cara , with the higher land of the larger isle of Gigha rising boldly behind it . Kenric brought his galley to the shoreward of her consorts , so that leaning over the bulwarks he might see this land of Gigha that was now his own . The coast was wild and barren , with black jagged rocks rising high out of a bed of foaming breakers , but sloping off from the steep headlands into green upland pastures , striped with glistening streams . Through a long rock tunnel that pierced the cliffs he could see the light of the morning sun rays , and the great Atlantic rollers , breaking in the midst of this tunnel , shot up in a cloud of spray through two open shafts and roared with thunderous noise .