seven in the evening
Pencroft immediately began to prepare the dinner . It appeared best to introduce something solid into the bill of fare , for all needed to get up their strength . The strings of couroucous were kept for the next day , but they plucked a couple of grouse , which were soon spitted on a stick , and roasting before a blazing fire . At seven in the evening Neb had not returned . The prolonged absence of the Negro made Pencroft very uneasy . It was to be feared that he had met with an accident on this unknown land , or that the unhappy fellow had been driven to some act of despair . But Herbert drew very different conclusions from this absence .