eight
o'clock
But as the second evening closed in , the sky was loaded with heavy clouds -- the scud flew wildly past them -- the sea increased to mountains high -- and the gale roared through the rigging of the schooner , which was now impelled before it under bare poles . They were really in danger . The hatches were battened down fore and aft -- the ports were knocked out to allow the escape of the water , which poured over in such volumes as would otherwise have swamped the vessel -- and Courtenay and his crew remained on deck until dawn of day , when the violence of the gale seemed to have abated . Courtenay desired Seymour and Jerry to turn in , and relieve him at eight o'clock . Our hero and Jerry went down into the cabin , where they found the two passengers , who , although they had not come on deck during the night , had not retired to bed . Peter was sitting up to windward on the locker , looking very pale and very sea-sick . Paul was on the cabin-floor , with one hand holding on by the leg of the table , and a bottle of brandy in the other .