Thirty-five minutes past seven
The only thing that worries me is that Serko , or somebody else may take it into his head to see if I am in my cell , and if necessary to lock me in , though what they have to fear from me I can not conceive . At twenty-five minutes past seven : Ker Karraje , Engineer Serko and Captain Spade advance to the extremity of the point , where they sweep the north-western horizon with their telescopes . Behind them the six trestles are installed , in the grooves of which are Roch 's autopropulsive engines . Thirty-five minutes past seven : Smoke arises from the stacks of the warships , which are getting under way and will soon be within range of the engines . Horrible cries of joy , salvos of hurrahs -- howls of wild beasts I might more appropriately say -- arise from the pirate horde . At this moment Engineer Serko quits Ker Karraje , whom he leaves with Captain Spade , and enters the cavern , no doubt to fetch Thomas Roch . When Ker Karraje orders the latter to launch his engines against the ships will he remember what I told him ?