Midnight
After Murphy had snapped the padlock shut they crawled up to the alley again and he led them to a space between two buildings less than four feet in width , into which they crowded themselves . `` We can spot them from here when they go by , see ? '' Murphy explained . Midnight . For more than an hour they had remained in their cramped hiding place , waiting . Brennan smoked innumerable cigarettes while they talked in whispers . A policeman had walked through the alley peering into the shadows and they had crouched breathless until he passed them .