midnight
`` Take heed , Friedel mine ; a merry watch is scarce a safe one . '' `` Even so , sweet motherling , and therefore must Ebbo and I share it . You must mete out your liquor wisely , you see , enough for the credit of Adlerstein , and enough to keep out the marsh fog , yet not enough to make us snore too soundly . I am going to take my lute ; it would be using it ill not to let it enjoy such a chance as a midnight watch . '' So away went the light-hearted boy , and by and by Christina saw the red watch-fire as she gazed from her turret window . She would have been pleased to see how , marshalled by a merchant who had crossed the desert from Egypt to Palestine , the waggons were ranged in a circle , and the watches told off , while the food and drink were carefully portioned out . Freiherr Ebbo , on his own ground , as champion and host , was far more at ease than in the city , and became very friendly with the merchants and architect as they sat round the bright fire , conversing , or at times challenging the mountain echoes by songs to the sound of Friedel 's lute .