ten at night
If , on the other hand , he really means to take the offensive , I should prefer remaining in our present position , for I think that we could maintain it against the whole of the French army , and that more easily than we could carry their line of defences held by only the troops at present in front of us . '' Edgar questioned Sidi again . The latter said that he had heard the same story from three different persons . The French had arrived late the evening before , and when he left , the bugles were sounding and they were beginning to fall in for their march , and would probably reach Alexandria by ten at night . The men had said that it was the talk among the soldiers that they should take the English by surprise at daybreak and drive them into the sea . `` That certainly seems to decide it , '' the general said . `` They have made a mistake indeed , if they think that they will catch us napping . ''