eight o'clock
Indeed , the mast was in such a bad way , he said , that the first and second officers were for getting rid of it -- and of the danger that there was of its coming down all in a heap anyway -- by sending it overboard ; but that the captain thought it safe to stand now that the sea was getting smooth again , and was setting up jury-stays to hold it until we made the Azores -- for which islands our course was laid . By the time that night came again the sea had pretty well gone down , and beyond the easy roll that was on her the ship had no motion save the steady vibration of her screw . With this comforting change the pain in my head became only a dull heavy aching , and I had a chance to feel how utterly weary I was after the strain of mind and body that had been put on me by the gale . A little after eight o'clock , as I knew by hearing the ship 's bell striking -- and mighty pleasant it was to hear regularly that orderly sound again -- the steward brought me a bowl of broth and propped me up in my berth while I drank it ; and cheered me by telling me that the doctor was swearing at his broken leg like a good fellow , and was getting on very well indeed . And then my weariness had its way with me , and I fell off into that deep sleep which comes to a man only when all his energy has slipped away from him on a dead low tide . How long I slept I do not know . But I do know that I was routed suddenly into wakefulness by a jar that almost pitched me out of my berth , and that an instant later there was a tremendous crash as though the whole deck above me was smashing to pieces , and with this a rattle of light woodwork splintering and the sharp tinkling of breaking glass .