about midnight
Every man carried provisions for himself and his horse and , as soon as they had partaken of a hearty meal , the armour was unstrapped , and all threw themselves down for a long sleep ; sentries being first placed , with orders to seize any peasants who might enter the wood to gather fuel . With the exception of the sentries , who were changed every hour , the rest slept until late in the afternoon ; then the horses were again fed and groomed , and another meal was eaten . At sunset the armour was buckled on again , and they started . They crossed the Creuse at the bridge of Argenton about midnight and , riding through La Chatre , halted before morning in a wood two miles from Saint Amand . Here the day was passed as the previous one had been . `` Tell me , Francois , '' Philip said , as they were waiting for the sun to go down , `` something about your cousin De la Noue . As we are to ride with him , it is as well to know something about him .