about midnight
By the time we had the horses rubbed down and resaddled 't was twilight in the open and night dark in the wood ; but we were on our own ground and knew every by-path through the forest . So , when we had sent the Indian back to carry news of us to General Davidson at the lower ford , and to advertise him of our purpose , we mounted to begin a scouting jaunt , keeping to the wood paths and bearing cautiously northward toward the enemy 's camp at Forney 's plantation . At times we were close upon the British sentries , with every nerve strained tense for fight or flight ; anon we would be making wide detours through bog and fen , or beneath the black network of wet branches with the rain-soaked leaf beds under foot to make the horses ' treadings as noiseless as a cat 's . None the less , in the fullness of time -- 't was near about midnight as we guessed it -- we had our patience well rewarded . Hovering on the confines of the camp we heard the muffled drum-tap of the reveille , and soon there was the stir of an army making ready for the march . `` Which way will it be , north or south ? '' whispered Dick , when we had dismounted to cloak the heads of the horses .