midnight
Frank had reached the wreckage while Maurice 's mother had been speaking , and without an instant 's delay had looped the end of the signal halliards round the boy 's waist as he held on himself to the end of the topgallant yard , to which the lee braces were attached . A quick motion of his arm had then apprised Captain Dinks what to do , and in another minute or two the wreckage had been floated in under the ship 's quarter , and a dozen hands were helping the brave lad and the boy whom he had rescued up the side -- Maurice , indeed , being hauled up by the bight of the signal halliards first . His mother almost went into hysterics when he was restored to her , as if from the very gates of death ; but her joy did not allow her to forget to thank his rescuer , which she did far more enthusiastically than Frank liked , with all the men looking on ! The gale continued raging with unabated force all that evening ; but towards midnight it lulled sufficiently for some sail to be set on the ship , which was then kept more on her proper course . It was a lovely dawn the morning after the storm in the Bay of Biscay . Even Mr Adams , plain , matter-of-fact , simple , and unsympathetic sailor as he was , without a particle of poetry or imagination about him , could not but gaze with admiration at the glory of God 's handiwork , as he noticed the grand panorama of change that marked the progress from darkness to light , from night to day ! Soon after his watch began , the twinkling stars had gone to rest , putting out their tiny lanterns , as they had arisen , one be one ; and now , the violet blue of the firmament paled gradually into sea-green and grey , soft neutral tints mixed on the great palette of Nature to receive the roseate hue that presently illumined the whole eastern sky , heralding the approach of the glorious orb of day .