seven o'clock before
The wind was from the north , and they had therefore only to keep their backs to it to follow the right direction . It was half-past ten when they started , for the nights were short , and had it not been that the sky was covered with clouds and the air thick with rain , it would not have been dark enough for them to make the attempt until an hour later . By three o'clock it was light again , but they knew there was little chance of their escape being discovered until the warders came to unlock the hut at six in the morning , as the planks they had removed from the roof were at the back of the hut , and therefore invisible to the sentries . `` No doubt they will send a few mounted Cossacks out to search for us , as we are political prisoners , '' Alexis said ; `` but we may calculate it will be seven o'clock before they set out , and as this is the very last direction they will imagine we have taken we need not trouble ourselves about them ; besides , we shall soon be getting into wooded country . I believe it is all wood round the lower end of the lake , and we shall be quite out of the way of traffic , for everything going east from Irkutsk is taken across the lake by steamer . '' After twelve hours ' walking , with only one halt of half an hour for refreshment , they reached the edge of the forest , and after again making a hearty meal of their bread and cold meat , and taking each a sip from a bottle containing cold tea , they lay down and slept until late in the afternoon . `` Well , we have accomplished so much satisfactorily , '' Alexis said .