about two o’clock
`` Hurrah ! '' cried Pencroft , who was always ready with this cry of triumph . `` Give me but a good fire , and this pig shall be gnawed to the bones ! '' Pencroft hoisted the capybara on his shoulders , and judging by the height of the sun that it was about two o'clock , he gave the signal to return . Top 's instinct was useful to the hunters , who , thanks to the intelligent animal , were enabled to discover the road by which they had come . Half an hour later they arrived at the river . Pencroft soon made a raft of wood , as he had done before , though if there was no fire it would be a useless task , and the raft following the current , they returned towards the Chimneys .