nearly nine o'clock
At last he touched her elbow and said , `` We get off at de next landin ' , and I guess we mus ' be pretty nigh dere . '' Edith started up much refreshed and asked , `` What sort of an evening is it ? '' `` Well , I ` se sorry to say it 's rainin ' hard and berry dark . '' To her dismay she also found that it was nearly nine o'clock . The boat had been late in starting , and was so heavily laden as to make slow progress against wind and tide . Edith 's heart sank within her at the thought of landing alone in a strange place that dismal night . It was indeed a new experience to her .