nearly eleven o'clock
Soon after ten o'clock lights were sighted dead ahead . The course was slightly altered , and the great liner swept past one of the North German Lloyd boats in company with a cruiser . The private signal was made and answered , and in half an hour she was again alone amidst the darkness . It was nearly eleven o'clock , when Michael Roburoff , who was standing under the lee of one of the ventilators amidships , smoking a last pipe before turning in , saw a figure muffled in a huge grey ulster creeping into the deeper shadows under the bridge . It was so dark that he could only just make out the outline of the figure , but he could see enough to rouse his ever ready suspicions in the furtive movements that the man was making . He stole out on the starboard , that is the southward , rail of the spar-deck , and Michael , straining his eyes to the utmost , saw him take a round flat object from under his coat , and then look round stealthily to see if he was observed . As he did so Michael whipped a pistol out of his pocket , levelled it at the man , and said in a low , distinct tone -- `` Put that back , or I 'll shoot ! ''