eight o'clock
`` If it does not , how are we to make it ? '' I thought to myself that the boat might very well be used in the latter case . But Captain Len Guy preferred to wait , and perhaps this was the wiser course under our circumstances . At eight o'clock that evening the half-condensed mist was so compact that it was difficult to walk through it . The composition of the air seemed to be changed , as though it were passing into a solid state . It was not possible to discern whether the fog had any effect upon the compass . I knew the matter had been studied by meteorologists , and that they believe they may safely affirm that the needle is not affected by this condition of the atmosphere .