nine o'clock
Overcome by the fatigue and excitement of the day , Randolph concluded to lie down in his clothes on the captain 's bed , not without a superstitious and uncomfortable recollection of that night , about a year before , when he had awaited him vainly at the San Francisco hotel . Even the fateful portmanteau was there to assist his gloomy fancy . Nevertheless , with the boom of one o'clock in his drowsy ears as his last coherent recollection , he sank into a dreamless sleep . He was awakened by a tapping at his door , and jumped up to realize by his watch and the still burning gaslight that it was nine o'clock . But the intruder was only a waiter with a letter which he had brought to Randolph 's room in obedience to the instructions the latter had given overnight . Not doubting it was from the captain , although the handwriting of the address was unfamiliar , he eagerly broke the seal . But he was surprised to read as follows : -- DEAR MR. TRENT , -- We had such sad news from the Hall after you left .