about ten at night
The district in which they were now encamped abounded , through many hundred miles , with wild horses of a docile and beautiful breed . Each of the four fugitives had caught from seven to ten of these spirited creatures in the course of the last few days ; this raised no suspicion ; for the rest of the Kalmucks had been making the same sort of provision against the coming toils of their remaining route to China . These horses were secured by halters , and hidden about dusk in the thickets which lined the margin of the river . To these thickets , about ten at night , the four fugitives repaired ; they took a circuitous path , which drew them as little as possible within danger of challenge from any of the outposts or of the patrols which had been established on the quarters where the Bashkirs lay ; and in three quarters of an hour they reached the rendezvous . The moon had now risen , the horses were unfastened , and they were in the act of mounting , when the deep silence of the woods was disturbed by a violent uproar , and the clashing of arms . Weseloff fancied that he heard the voice of the Khan shouting for assistance . He remembered the communication made by that prince in the morning ; and requesting his companions to support him , he rode off in the direction of the sound .