about nine o'clock
Heaving the lead is called sounding . And Captain Solomon laughed and said that he guessed so . So little Jacob did n't go to bed so early as he generally did , but he stayed up to see them heave the lead . And , about nine o'clock , Captain Solomon called little Jacob and little Sol and told them that they had better be ready , for he was just going to begin taking soundings . So the two boys went to look for the sailor with the lead line . They found him standing by the rail just where the ship was widest , and by his side was a lantern , lighted . The mate had another lantern , and the light from those two lanterns was the only light that they could see .