nearly eleven
o'clock
He therefore selected from the hoard of uncut jewels as many of the finest as he believed that he and Jose could conveniently carry , wrapped them up in two parcels , and , giving one to Jose to carry , took charge of the other himself . This done , the two men closed up the chests and left the cavern , returning to the spot where they had camped on the previous nigh . During the long silent hours while Jose was asleep , Jim kept guard over the spoil which he had already secured , and made plans for removing the rest of the treasure . He decided to dispose of the whole of the jewels -- or , rather , as many of them as he might find necessary -- and with the money thus obtained fit out an expedition to the cavern , to bring away the remainder of the spoil ; but while he was wondering how he could elude the watchfulness of the Bolivian authorities -- who would pounce upon the whole if they should get to hear of its existence -- he fell asleep , and it was nearly eleven o'clock when he awoke the next morning . The two men then secured the gems to their persons , and started off on their toilsome journey back to the fort , which they safely reached two days later , utterly worn-out with the fatigues which they had undergone . Jim was so completely exhausted that he spent the whole of the day after their return upon his narrow camp-bed ; but by the following morning he was quite rested , and burning with impatience for his messenger to return , so that he might the sooner get back to civilisation and prepare for the expedition to the treasure-cavern . It was some days , however , before the soldier returned , having ridden hard night and day to deliver Jim 's report and to return with orders to the young commander .