about nine o'clock in the evening
Only at night , in his hammock , it awoke again -- sinister , premonitory . But as yet the man continued cheerfully incredulous . Fate was playing , less on him than through him , a rare practical joke -- no more . On the eighth of June , at about nine o'clock in the evening , it occurred to Admiral Lord Keith that the wind and weather afforded an excellent opportunity of testing the _ Vesuvius 's _ far-famed catamaran against the shipping moored off Boulogne pier . He signalled accordingly ; and at nine-thirty , under the eyes of the squadron , a boat from the bomb-ship started to tow the infernal machine towards the harbour . By leave of Bill Adams , commanding , our Major made one of the crew of twelve . In less than a quarter of an hour their approach was signalled by the enemy 's vedettes to the forts ashore , which promptly opened fire .