midnight
Stepping away from where I stood , hidden by a life-boat , I distinctly discerned three figures moving noiselessly along the deck , going from me . Curiosity prompted me to follow them , and to my surprise I saw them disappear one after another down the hatchway leading to the steerage . As they must , I felt certain , have come out through the saloon door , this rather puzzled me . It was past midnight when , at last , I went below . The saloon , smoking-room and alleyways were deserted and almost in darkness . No sound of any sort was audible but the rhythmic throbbing of the engines . The boat still travelled without the slightest motion .