Then followed some hours for leisure and sleep.
"You men will go on post again at two in the morning," announced Corporal Sanders, who was in command of the relief to which the rookies belonged.
Punctually that relief was turned out, aligned, inspected and instructed.
"Post number three, Private Overton. Post number four, Private Terry," ran the corporal's orders. "Post number five——"
And so on.
Hal's heart was already beating high with hope. He had the post along officers' row, Noll the one just beyond.
"All sentries will exercise unusual vigilance," announced Sergeant Hupner, as commander of the guard. "This applies especially to the sentries on posts number three and four. But let no sentry, anywhere, allow his whole attention to wander from his duties for an instant. Corporal, march the relief."
"Attention," called Corporal Sanders on receiving this order. "Right shoulder arms! By twos, left march!"
Three minutes later the man on post three had been relieved, Hal having been dropped into his place.
It was just after two o'clock in the morning when Private Hal Overton began to pace his post, watching the relief vanish in the darkness in the direction of post number four.