nine
o’clock
Following Pencroft 's advice , it appeared best to take the road already traversed through the forest , and to return by another route . It was also the most direct way to reach the mountain . They turned the south angle and followed the left bank of the river , which was abandoned at the point where it formed an elbow towards the southwest . The path , already trodden under the evergreen trees , was found , and at nine o'clock Cyrus Harding and his companions had reached the western border of the forest . The ground , till then , very little undulated , boggy at first , dry and sandy afterwards , had a gentle slope , which ascended from the shore towards the interior of the country . A few very timid animals were seen under the forest-trees . Top quickly started them , but his master soon called him back , for the time had not come to commence hunting ; that would be attended to later .