half past seven
I had not much more than a half-hour left to me when I finished writing them out . The ship 's bells told me that it was seven o'clock . Cabin breakfast , as I knew very well , would be at eight . I could expect to be called at half past seven . I put the two flaps of the satchel evenly together , removing all traces of the thread used in the earlier sewing . Then I very trimly sewed the two flaps with my sail-needle , using all my strength to make secure stitches . I used some brown soap in the wash-stand as thread wax , to make the sewing more easy .