Had they
been in a situation to continue the siege longer than
the morning, the case might have been different. But it
was obvious that in order to secure their own safety,
alarmed as they most know the governor would be at the
absence of the party under his command, they would not
remain longer than daylight exposed to the chances of
being themselves closely assailed from without.
Such was the reasoning of the Virginian, whose greatest
source of discomfort now was the apprehension of serious
reprimand, if not something worse, from the austere
Captain Headley, whose displeasure, he was certain, would
be so much the greater on account of the loss of the
unfortunate Collins. He looked at his watch, but to his
great annoyance, found that it had stopped, the hour-hand
pointing to one o'clock. How long it had been run down,
he could not tell, but from the time which had elapsed
since their abandonment of the boat, and arrival in the
house, he did not think it could be less than four in
the morning.
Desirous to satisfy himself by the appearance of the
heavens, he arose, and with the aid of Green, placed the
table under the window commanding a view of the river.
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