twenty minutes after midnight
Knife in hand , he rushed towards the rocks where the anchor had fixed itself . The aeronef was not more than fifty feet from the ground . In a few seconds the cable was cut , and the breeze , which had increased considerably , striking the `` Albatross '' on the quarter , carried her out over the sea . It was then twenty minutes after midnight . Five or six shots had been fired from the aeronef . Uncle Prudent and Frycollin , supporting Phil Evans , had taken shelter among the rocks . They had not been hit .