noon
If the latter , then they must know what preparations were being made at the British naval station , Isle au Noix . They travelled all night through the dark woods , to get there , though it was but seven miles away , and in the first full light they saw the gallant array of two warships , three gunboats , and about fifty long boats , all ready , undoubtedly waiting only for a change in the wind , which at this season blew on Champlain almost steadily form the south . A three-hour , ten-mile tramp through ways now familiar brought Rolf and his partner to the north of the Big Chazy where the canoe was hidden , and without loss of time they pushed off for Burlington , thirty miles away . The wind was head on , and when four hours later they stopped for noon , they had made not more than a dozen miles . All that afternoon they had to fight a heavy sea ; this meant they must keep near shore in case of an upset , and so lengthened the course ; but it also meant that the enemy would not move so long as this wind kept up . It was six at night before the scouts ran into Burlington Harbour and made for Hampton 's headquarters . His aide received them and , after learning that they had news , went in to the general .