nine in the morning
To each one of them their existence seemed even more isolated than before . They had been accustomed to count upon the intervention of that power which existed no longer , and Gideon Spilett , and even Cyrus Harding , could not escape this impression . Thus they maintained a profound silence during their journey to the corral . Towards nine in the morning the colonists arrived at Granite House . It had been agreed that the construction of the vessel should be actively pushed forward , and Cyrus Harding more than ever devoted his time and labour to this object . It was impossible to divine what future lay before them . Evidently the advantage to the colonists would be great of having at their disposal a substantial vessel , capable of keeping the sea even in heavy weather , and large enough to attempt , in case of need , a voyage of some duration .