twelve o'clock
`` As I had expected , I could not get a single member of the crew to accompany me further than the shore , and they were frightened at that . Two of them , who were very much attached to me , implored me most earnestly not to go , but seeing that I was bent upon it , shrugged their shoulders and were silent . The instant I was deposited with my gun on shore , they turned back to the boat and immured themselves . I arranged that at twelve o'clock , if I did not return , they should leave the creek and go round the island within hailing distance , so as to pick me up at any point . I started along the shore , skirting the marsh which wound through the pines . `` The first thing that I came upon was a heronry . I had noticed several of these magnificent birds the day before sailing over the island , and this creek was evidently their settlement ; up they went , floating away in all directions with a marvellous , almost magical rapidity and silence of flight .