eleven o'clock
After much feeble circling I took to lying flat at intervals in the hopes of seeing her silhouetted against the starry sky . This plan succeeded at last , and with relief and humility I boarded her , relit the riding-light , and carried off the kedge anchor . The strange boot lay at the foot of the ladder , but it told no tales when I examined it . It was eleven o'clock , past low water . Davies was cutting it fine if he was to get aboard without the dinghy 's help . But eventually he reappeared in the most prosaic way , exhausted with his heavy load , but full of talk about his visit ashore . He began while we were still on deck .