about 3 a.m.
A moment after , two crashing blows were struck upon the door-panel and Colliver 's voice cried -- '' ` Trenoweth , you dog , are you hiding there ? Give me up those papers and come out . ' `` For answer I sent a charge of shot through the cabin door , and in an instant heard him scrambling back with all speed up the stairs . `` By this time it was about 3 a.m. , and to add to the horrors of our plight the lamp suddenly went out and left us in utter darkness . I drew Mrs. Concanen aside -- after strengthening the barricade about the door -- put her and the child in a corner where she would be safe if they attempted to fire through the skylight , and then sat down beside her to consider . `` If , as I suspected , the mutineers had only the revolver which they had taken from the captain , they had but one shot left , for I had already counted five , and it was not likely that Holding -- who always , as I knew , carried some weapon with him -- would have any loose cartridges upon him at a time when no one suspected the least danger . `` Next , as to numbers .