eight o'clock
Among these there was an air of gloom and depression . The state of panic in which the troops of Prince Thomas , who had marched out confident that they were about to annihilate the French , had returned , and the knowledge that the Marquis of Leganez had also failed , had created a feeling of the deepest disquiet among that portion of the population who had taken a leading part in throwing off the authority of the duchess and in acknowledging that of Prince Thomas . They had regarded her cause as lost , but the vigorous steps that France was taking to assist her had caused uneasiness ; and if , while as yet a comparatively small force had arrived , these had shown so bold a front , had captured Chieri in the face of a powerful army , had revictualled Casale , had defeated Prince Thomas and forced their way past the array of Leganez , it might well be that in the spring , when reinforcements reached them , they might even defeat the Spaniards and lay siege to Turin itself . The boys remained where they were until it began to grow dusk , when , after buying at three shops a saw , a crowbar , and an auger , they went and sat down on a doorway in a quiet street until eight o'clock . Then they took their way to the Strada Vecchia . It was entirely deserted . Lights showed in one or two of the windows , but , except that they could hear the tread of the nearest sentry , all was silent .