about midnight
`` It was fierce , '' Steve said . `` No one had much sleep , I guess . We almost pitched on our nose time and again . If it had n't been for you chaps we 'd have cut and run about midnight . We lost sight of your lights several times ; they were so low in the water , and thought that you 'd gone down at first . The _ Follow Me _ had to run for it , and I guess they were n't very happy either . But we 'll make it this time .