nine o'clock
On the road in front , but far enough to be well beyond the light of the fire , voices could be heard , and occasionally a shout that they would finish with the infidel dogs to-morrow rose on the air . Evidently by the low buzz of talk there were a large number here , and probably the guns had been brought closer , to check any attempt on the part of the little garrison to dash through their enemies . The blazing fire , however , throwing as it did a bright light upon the empty gateway through which they must pass , showed that at present , at least , the besieged had no idea of making their escape . At nine o'clock the whole of the garrison stood to their horses . Not only had their feet been muffled with the leather shoes , but cloths , of which there were plenty in the village , had been wound round them , until their footfalls would , even on the hardest road , have been noiseless . Then Major Warrener led the way to the spot where ten men had been at work during the afternoon . At this point , which was on the side furthest from that upon which was the main camp of the enemy , a clump of trees and bushes grew close to the wall outside ; behind them a hole in the wall , wide enough and high enough for a horse to pass through easily , had been made , and the ditch behind had been filled up with rubbish .