nearly nine o'clock in the evening
Mrs. Cliff sighed . It was a great pity to have taken so much trouble , especially when time was so precious , but she had done what she could . It would be impossible for her to find the members in their temporary places of abode , and the only thing she could do now was to tell them the change in her plans when they came on board that evening , and then , if they did not care to sail with her , they would have plenty of time to go on shore again . Mr. Burke did not arrive to escort Mrs. Cliff and Willy Croup to the yacht until nearly nine o'clock in the evening . They had sent their baggage to the vessel in the afternoon , and had now been expecting him , with great impatience , for nearly an hour , but when Mr. Burke arrived , it was impossible to find fault with him , for he had been busy , he said , every minute of the day . He had made up a full crew ; he had a good sailing-master , and the first mate who had been on the yacht before ; everything that he could think of in the way of provisions and stores were on board , and there was nothing to prevent their getting out of the harbor early in the morning . When Mrs. Cliff stepped on board her yacht , the _ Summer Shelter _ , her first thought was directed towards her guests of the Synod ; and when the mate , Mr. Burdette , had advanced and been introduced to her , she asked him if any of the clergymen had yet appeared .