Then he heard a sentry's hail:
"Halt! Who goes there?"
"The relief."
"Advance, relief."
After that, the steps of the marching party died off in the distance.
In the darkest part of the moonless night Hal walked up and down before the officers' quarters.
But he did more than walk. Making his own steps as noiseless as possible Hal felt that he was truly "all ears and eyes."
Thus some twenty minutes went by.
Then, suddenly, just as Hal had passed the north side of Captain Ruggles' quarters the young sentry halted like a flash.
Under the dim starlight he saw two shadowy forms leave by the captain's back door.