eight until
twelve o'clock
In a few minutes the rescuers and the rescued one went back again on the _ Porpoise _ , where Professor Henderson soon brought Nellie around again . Beyond the shock and wetting neither she nor Mark was harmed . It was Jack 's watch on deck that night . He had the tour from eight until twelve o'clock and when , about ten , every one but himself had retired , he took his position in the door of the conning tower and prepared to pass the time as best he could . The ship was moving along at half speed , and , as the automatic steering attachment was working Jack had little to do . He sat looking at the stars that twinkled in the sky , the blazing Southern Cross showing among the constellations , when he heard a slight noise near the companionway . He looked in that direction and , to his horror , he saw the ghostly white shape that had , on previous occasions , caused him and the others fright .