about four o'clock
The former life was resumed , and the hours of watch were marked out as they had been . The sun still shone , never setting , but by this time the adventurers were used to perpetual day . Dirola kept to herself , not saying a word to anybody . `` I think I 'll drop the ship down a bit and see what sort of a country is beneath us , '' announced Mr. Henderson about four o'clock , though whether it was four o'clock in the morning or the afternoon , no one knew . However , it did not matter much . `` If there is an open sea around the north pole , as some believe , '' he went on , `` we ought to see some signs of it now . '' He let some gas out of the bag , and the _ Monarch _ slowly settled toward the earth .