nine o'clock
The boys worked away sturdily , ceasing occasionally from their labours to go down and shove the boat further off as the tide fell . At six it was dead low . They had each brought with them a bag with some bread and cheese , and a tin of cold tea , and now sat down on the gunwale of the boat for breakfast . Having finished that meal , they continued their work till nine o'clock , by which time they had got several bushels on board . `` Look there ! '' Joe exclaimed suddenly ; `` there is a big steamer has run on to the Middle Ground . '' The boys had just thrown down their spade and rake , and had agreed to knock off , and they now ran across to the outside of the strip of sand , which had by this time narrowed very considerably .