nine o’clock
Never had he known such a tale , never had he seen such an adventure as this -- that two men and an old woman should attack an armed camp . Indeed , although he was not acquainted with the saying , Otter 's feelings would have been correctly summed up in the well-known phrase , `` _ C'est magnifique , mais ce n'est pas la guerre _ . '' As yet the night was intensely dark , and its gloom did not tend to improve their spirits ; also , as Otter had predicted , the wind was rising and soughed through the reeds and willows in melancholy notes . So the time passed till it was nine o'clock . `` We must move down to the landing-place , '' said Leonard ; `` there will soon be some light , enough for us to work by . '' Then Otter took the lead and slowly , step by step , they crept back to the road and followed it down the shore of the canal opposite the water-gate . Here was a place where boats and canoes were tied , both for convenience in crossing the canal to and from the camp and for the use of the slave-dealers when they passed to the secret harbour six miles away , where the dhows embarked their cargoes .