about midnight
In the greatest excitement we returned to the house , all talking eagerly , and till late no one could be persuaded to retire to rest . Few slept that night . The boys and I took it in turn to keep watch from the verandah , lest more signals might be fired , or a hostile visit might be paid us . But about midnight the wind began to rise , and before we reassembled to discuss our plans a fearful storm was raging ; so terrific was the sea that I knew no boat could live , and had a broadside been fired at the entrance of the Bay we should not have heard it through the howling of the blast . For two days and two nights the hurricane continued , but on the third day the sun again appeared , and , the wind lulling , the sea went rapidly down . Full of anxiety I readily complied with the boys ' desire to put off to Shark Island and discharge the guns ; for who could tell what had been the result of the gale ; perhaps the vessel had been driven upon the rocky shore or , fearing such a fate , she had left the coast and weathered the storm out at sea ; if so she might never return . With these thoughts I accompanied Jack and Franz to the fort .