midnight
When finally her work was done , she slipped noiselessly out and started towards the levee , pail in hand ; but as she approached it she saw moving shadows . The Riffraffs were working at the guns . Seeing her project impossible , she sat down in a dark shadow by the roadside -- studied the moving figures -- listened to the guns which came nearer as the hours passed . It was long after midnight ; accelerated firing was proclaiming a crisis in the battle , when , suddenly , there came the rattle of approaching wheels accompanied by a noisy rabble . Then a woman screamed . Captain Doc was coming with a wagon-load of ammunition . The guns were to be loaded .