midnight
A light flashed downstairs and a door flung open just as he reached the landing . Jim sprang to his dormitory , flinging off his coat as he ran with leaping , stealthy strides . Feet were tramping up the stairs behind him . He dived into his blankets and drew them up under his chin , just as he had dived hurriedly into bed a score of times at school when an intrusive master had come upon a midnight `` spread '' ; but with his heart pounding with fear as it had never pounded at school . What did they suspect ? Had they found out anything ? The guard tramped noisily into the room , under a big Feldwebel , or sergeant-major .