four in the morning
Somewhere on the shore , he thought , the night gunmen were watching the line of bubbles . The boys ' only hope of escaping detection had been to avoid drawing attention to themselves . Rick knew that was impossible with watchers on the shore . Watchers at four in the morning was one thing he had n't expected . What had drawn them ? Suddenly he knew . While he , Steve , and Scotty had examined the mansion through glasses from Orvil 's boat , Merlin and company , or a single guard , had been watching them .