seven
o'clock
He was soon bathed in perspiration ; every new sound made him jump ; and with every stumble he waited and listened with beating heart , wondering if he had betrayed his presence to the enemy . He thought ruefully that his speed as a sprinter would avail him little on ground like this ; he had his revolver , but that would be useless against numbers ; discovery would mean death . Amid so many obstructions his progress was terribly slow . It was seven o'clock when he started ; when it occurred to him to look at his watch he was startled to find that two hours had passed . He could not tell how far he had come , nor guess how far he had yet to go . He hesitated ; should he go back ? Was there any use in struggling further ?