ten at night
Harry and John had both learned during the snatches of conversation that they were able to take advantage of , that Ralph and Tom were companions on the ill-fated _ Investigator _ , when she went down . They were not remembered at the hut , and neither of the boys recalled the others , because the emaciated condition of the two was such as to make recognition impossible , and Ralph and Tom were too much excited to know or care who had delivered them , but they recognized the Professor before it dawned on them that the two boys were their former companions . But let us listen to the tale as Ralph told it : `` We were on the after part of the ship at the time the explosion took place . It was between nine and ten at night . The explosion seemed to break the ship in two , and an officer , a seaman , and three of my companions , including Tom here , launched one of the boats , and when it was apparent that the vessel was sinking , the officer ordered the boat away . We saw two of the lifeboats , and made for the nearest one , when the wave from the sinking ship nearly overturned us . Soon after a heavy fog covered everything , and when that disappeared a high wind arose , and the sea became choppy and the froth was blown over us so that all became drenched . ''