five o'clock
And now , good-night , Sergeant ; good-night , Captain Wayne . '' As we turned into the main road , riding slowly , I glanced backward . The General was yet standing there in front of his tent , gazing after us , the rays of the westering sun gleaming on his gray hair . By five o'clock we were safe at Colchester , and while our horses rested and refreshed themselves on some confiscated grain , the two of us lay lazily back on a grassy knoll , well within the shadow of a ruined wall , and watched the round , red sun drop slowly down behind those western hills we had to climb . We scarcely spoke regarding the work we knew was ahead , except to discuss briefly the better route to be selected for our hard night 's ride . We were both old campaigners , inured by years of discipline to danger and obedience . This special duty , however arduous and desperate it might prove to be , was silently accepted as part of the service we owed the State .