about midnight
Teddy asked of Neal , who had shown , by rising on his elbow , that he was awake . `` A wind coming from the north , more frequently met in the Gulf of Mexico , when the temperature falls very suddenly , as was the case this evening , and a furious gale is often the result . '' `` So long as it holds cold I do n't see that we have any cause to complain , '' was the sleepy rejoinder ; but before the night came to a close he had good reason for changing his mind on the subject . It was about midnight , as near as the boys could judge without looking at a watch , when the yacht was flung on her beam ends with a sudden force which threw both out of the berth , and before the port-hole could be fastened , flooded the state-room with water . Teddy might well be excused for the shrill cry of alarm which escaped from his lips , for at that moment even an experienced sailor would have fancied the little craft had struck upon a reef , more particularly since it was known they were in a dangerous locality . `` We are sinking ! '' he cried frantically as he tried in vain to open the door , and Neal was of the same opinion .