a quarter to nine
Mr. Boyle , whose peculiar gifts in the way of speech were accurately described by Dr. Christobal , grunted agreement . `` Huh , '' he said . Courtenay glanced at a chronometer . `` It is now a quarter to nine , '' he went on , `` and I reckon that since the ship swung round we have been carried at least six knots to the nor ` east . '' `` Huh , '' growled Mr. Boyle again , but he bent a trifle nearer the chart . To his sailor 's eyes the situation was quite simple . Unless , by God 's providence , some miracle happened , the _ Kansas _ was a doomed ship .