about seven o'clock in the
morning
He had not closed his eyes during the night , as indeed no one connected with the sailing department of the schooner had done . The professors and the wrecked party had all turned in as usual , while Paul kept vigil on deck with the first lieutenant . `` Sail ho ! '' cried the lookout forward , about seven o'clock in the morning . A small vessel was discovered approaching the Josephine from the direction of the shore , or rather of the mouth of the Scheldt , whose western estuary forms a broad bay about twelve miles in width . As the small craft came near , it was evident that she was a pilot boat . She carried a red flag at her mast-head , on which was a number in white figures .