midnight
The woods around him were filled with rebels , and the question was , in which direction should he turn to avoid them ? After some hesitation , he determined to go as directly through the woods , toward the river , as possible , and , if discovered , trust to his woodcraft and swiftness of foot to save him . With this determination , he shouldered his rifle and walked rapidly on , taking care , however , to keep a good look-out on all sides , and to make as little noise as possible . All sounds of the pursuit had died away , and the woods were as silent as midnight . But even this was a source of fear to Frank ; for he knew not what tree or thicket concealed an enemy , nor how soon the stillness would be broken by the crack of a rifle and the whistle of a hostile bullet . At length the sun went down , and it began to grow dark ; but still Frank walked on , wishing to get as far away from the scene of the fight as possible . Presently he heard a sound that startled him : it was the clatter of horses ' hoofs , on a hard , well-beaten road .