nine o'clock
Finally came George 's two words of advice -- keep strict watch on the native town and hold Bardur in readiness for a siege ; and wire the same directions to Yasin , Gilgit , Chitral , Chilas , and throughout Kashmir and the Punjab . Above all , wire to the chief places on the new Indus Valley railway , for in case of success in Bardur , the railway would be the first object of the invader . Thwaite put down the ear-trumpet , his face very white and perspiring . He looked at his watch ; it was just on nine o'clock . The moon had arisen and the telegram said `` moonrise . '' He could not doubt the genuineness of the message when he had heard at the end the names Winterham and Haystoun . Already Marker might be through the pass , and little the Khautmi people could do against him .