about eight o'clock in the morning
Already the liquor had begun to tell , and wild hallos and yells , and even fragments of ghastly songs , mingled with the groans of misery in the doomed boat . At sunrise there was a great swell upon the water , and sharp gusts at intervals ; and on the horizon , to windward , might be observed a black spot in the sky , no bigger than a fly . But none saw that ; Hazel 's eye never left the raving wretches in the forepart of the boat ; Cooper and Welch sat in gloomy despair amidships ; and the others were huddled together forward , encouraging each other to a desperate act . It was about eight o'clock in the morning . Helen Rolleston awoke from a brief doze and said , `` Mr. Hazel , I have had a strange dream . I dreamed there was food , and plenty of it , on the outside of this boat . '' While these strange words were yet in her mouth , three of the sailors suddenly rose up with their knives drawn , and eyes full of murder , and staggered aft as fast as their enfeebled bodies could .