midnight
He could not devise any means of doing this . To enter the lines was out of the question , for there would likely be some of the soldiers who would recognize him as the youth who had joined the British army a few days before and then deserted . Doubtless the British were aware of the fact , also , that the same youth had set the prisoners free from the prison-ship . Dick remained near the British encampment till after midnight , but could do nothing to further the purpose for which he had come , and so he retired to a clump of trees situated about a quarter of a mile from the edge of the encampment , and hunting up a place under some bushes , lay down and went to sleep . He slept soundly till morning , and then got up and took a survey of the British encampment . The sun was just rising , and everything was quiet in the camp . The soldiers were still asleep , with the exception of the sentinels , who could be seen slowly pacing their beats .