Seeking the deep shadow of an angle, the boy seated himself on a gun-carriage and pondered over the situation.

The more he thought of it the more impossible did it seem for him to escape beyond the grim walls and meet Has-se at the appointed time.
While he was thus overcome by the difficulties of his position, and as he had about concluded that he had undertaken an impossibility, he was startled by the deep tones of the great bell that hung in the archway of the gate, striking the hour of ten o'clock.

Directly afterwards came the measured tramp of the guard and the clank of their weapons as they made their round for the purpose of relieving the sentinels on duty, and replacing them with fresh men.

Rene sat so near the gate-way that he could overhear what was said when that post was relieved, and distinguishing above the rest the voice of his old friend Simon, the armorer, he became convinced that he had been placed on duty at this most important point.
After relieving this post the guard resumed their march, and passed so close to where Rene sat in the shadow of the great gun that, had the night been a shade lighter, they must have seen him.

As it was, he escaped detection, and once more breathed freely as their footsteps sounded fainter and fainter in the distance.