seven o'clock
Hugh should fetch them in a basket , one by one , to the river bank , at the spot where a balk of wood had been washed ashore by some recent floods . At seven in the evening Gerald should call upon his cousin , and on leaving , accompany Rupert to the river bank , where Hugh would be already in waiting . When they had left , Pat Dillon should start on horseback with the three uniforms in his valise , the party hiding the clothes in which they left the camp , under the bank at their place of starting . The plan was carried out as arranged , and soon after seven o'clock Rupert Holliday and Gerald Dillon , leaving the camp , strolled down to the river , on whose bank Hugh was already sitting . The day had been extremely hot , and numbers of soldiers were bathing in the river . It was known that the assault was to take place that night , but as the cavalry would take no part in it , the soldiers , with their accustomed carelessness , paid little heed to the matter . As it grew dusk , the bathers one by one dressed and left , until only the three watchers remained .