midnight
`` There 's nothing on board that can blow up , and it would be worse than cowardly to leave the ship while there 's a chance of saving her . The boats are all ready to be lowered instantly , and at present there is no more danger here than there would be in them . '' Not a soul on board the Wildfire went to bed or undressed that night , and Mark and Ruth were the only ones who closed their eyes . They stayed on deck until midnight , but then , in spite of the excitement , they became too sleepy to hold their eyes open any longer , and Mrs. Coburn persuaded them to take a nap on the cabin sofas . All night the ship flew like a frightened bird towards her port , under such a press of canvas as Captain May would not have dared carry had not the necessity for speed been so great . As the night wore on the decks grew hotter and hotter , until the pitch fairly bubbled from the seams , and a strong smell of burning pervaded the ship . At daylight the American flag was run half-way up to the mizzen peak , union down , as a signal of distress .