about midnight
Meanwhile Esther had been counting the hours till ten , when she made a pretence of going to bed with the rest . But there was no sleep for her till she had heard Mike 's news . Her bedroom looked out from the top of the house into the front garden , and she had arranged to have a lamp burning at the window , so that Mike , on his way home , should understand that all was safe for a snatched five minutes ' talk in the porch . She sat trying to read till about midnight , when through her half-opened windows came the soft whistle she had been waiting for . Turning down the lamp to show that she had heard , she stole down through the quiet house and cautiously opened the front door , fastened , it seemed , with a hundred bolts and chains . `` Is that you , Mike ? '' For answer two arms , which she did n't mistake for a burglar 's , were thrown round her .