midnight
His appearance was greeted by a volley of bullets from one of the German machine-guns but the aim was too high and he reached his goal in safety . As night fell half the section remained on the alert while the other half slept . The cannonade was now furious but the men managed to get some rest . At midnight Leon was relieved from his watch and prepared himself for sleep . One of the men furnished him with two overcoats stripped from dead Germans and with these he made a fairly comfortable bed . In spite of the terrific din made by the guns he at last dozed off to sleep . How long he slept he did not know , but suddenly he awoke to find himself in complete darkness .