four o'clock
Believing that the enemy must have obtained a knowledge of the approaching sortie and were anticipating it by assaulting the forts , the colonel ordered the men to stand to their arms . In an hour the firing ceased and all was quiet again . The men , with a little grumbling at being taken out and chilled in the night air , returned to the barn . At four o'clock they were again aroused by the fire being resumed . `` We may as well be off , lads , '' the colonel said , `` we have some distance to march , and it is not worth while to turn in again . '' Between the reports of the guns a dull rumbling sound could be heard . `` The artillery and train are on the move , '' Cuthbert said to René , who was next to him in the ranks , `` so we shall not be too soon if we are to take our share in the early part of the fighting . ''