the hour of ten
He could hear the distant tramping of the guards as they paced about the institution . `` It 's just like a prison , '' the boy thought . `` What a horrible place to stay in ! '' A clock , somewhere in the institution , struck the hour of ten , the sound being plainly audible through the opened windows . Frank started to his feet . As he did so he heard someone approaching along the gravel path . His heart was beating with quick , hard throbs .