midday
Cyrus Harding gazed for some time at this splendid constellation , which has at its summit and at its base two stars of the first magnitude , at its left arm a star of the second , and at its right arm a star of the third magnitude . Then , after some minutes thought -- `` Herbert , '' he asked of the lad , `` is not this the 15th of April ? '' `` Yes , captain , '' replied Herbert . `` Well , if I am not mistaken , to-morrow will be one of the four days in the year in which the real time is identical with average time ; that is to say , my boy , that to-morrow , to within some seconds , the sun will pass the meridian just at midday by the clocks . If the weather is fine I think that I shall obtain the longitude of the island with an approximation of some degrees . '' `` Without instruments , without sextant ? '' asked Gideon Spilett .