about nine o'clock
Here , squat down , and begin work with that mess . Plenty more where that came from , and no bill to settle . '' In this manner did the early morning meal progress , for the boys , having survived the perils of the night , were feeling quite like themselves again . True to his promise , about nine o'clock as near as they could judge , Maurice climbed down into the dinghy , taking with him their only ax . Thad had even been careful enough to fasten this with a piece of rope-end to the single thwart in the dump boat . `` If you should have a turn-over the blooming thing do n't know enough to swim , like you do ; and to lose it just now would put us in a fine old pickle , '' he explained , when Maurice joked him about the solicitude he was showing . `` That 's it , '' remarked the occupant of the dinghy , as he balanced himself carefully in sitting down ; `` it might be hard to buy another ax down along here , and one as good as this daisy .