one minute to twelve o'clock
She was cleared for action , so to speak . And a gallant fight she made when the issue was knit . When the hour of midnight must be near at hand , I looked at my watch . It was one minute to twelve o'clock . Thirty seconds more ! The stupendous corona of flame which hung over the island was pierced by long lines of smoke that stretched far above the glare and clutched with sooty fingers at the stars , now fitfully coming back to view at our distance . The rumbling of internal thunder waxed louder .