two o'clock before
No sooner , however , did the strain come upon it than there was a jerk , the rope slackened , and it was at once evident that the anchor had been discovered and the well laid plan disconcerted . Paleologus was furious , but , believing that the attack he had arranged would still be irresistible , he ordered a number of boats to take the bridge in tow , while a still larger force was to make a direct attack upon the breach . The movement was to be conducted as silently as possible until it was discovered , and then a dash forward was to be made . It was two o'clock before the fresh arrangements were completed and the boats put out . They had gone but a short distance when the anxious watchers in St. Nicholas learnt by the dull , confused sound that came across the water , that the attack was , in spite of the failure of the plan to take the bridge silently across , to be persevered in . A cannon was at once fired to give notice to the other batteries to be in readiness , and as soon as the dark mass of boats was made out the guns of the fort opened a destructive fire upon them , and a moment later were seconded by those from the fortress ; these , however , were at present being fired almost at random , as the Turkish boats could not be made out at that distance . Now that all need for concealment was at an end , the Turkish war cry rose shrilly in the air , and the boatmen bent to their oars .