seven o'clock
Already he could see men building fires . Spirals of smoke began to rise from the shore , and he knew that the riverman 's happiest of all hours , supper time , was close at hand . He looked at his watch . It was after seven o'clock . Then he watched the fading away of the sun until only the red glow of it remained in the west , and against the still thicker shadows the fires of the rivermen threw up yellow flames . On his own side , Bateese and the bateau crew were preparing their meal . It was eight o'clock when a man he had not seen before brought in his supper .