nine o'clock
Again there were times when the glowing specks seemed to scale the heights of a sable vacuum . Once a section of the rail went ripping away in the gloom and once a shredded small boat was torn and hurled into the waters . One hour , two hours , three hours , four hours -- and still the wild night went on , and still the _ Fledgling _ held to her work . Crampton , the chief engineer , struggled up from the engine-room at nine o'clock , his swart face lined and creased . `` She 's like an old man dyin ' , '' he said , and his voice quivered . `` The old injines are drivin ' as hard and brave as a man with a club ; but a lot of the kick has gone out of them . Nothin ' the matter of 'em that I can see -- but just feel .