midnight
Thus the funnel descending with the falling tide would have four feet of room to spare , and would clear itself easily . But how much time would elapse before that release would be completed ? Six hours . In six hours it would be near midnight . What means would there be of attempting to start at such an hour ? What channel could he find among all those breakers , so full of dangers even by day ? How was he to risk his vessel in the depth of black night in that inextricable labyrinth , that ambuscade of shoals ?