midnight
His rage took the form of sullen silence , and he spent the afternoon in pacing the poop or leaning against the weather shrouds . At nightfall , without even consulting McCoy , he squared away and headed into the northwest . Mr. Konig , surreptitiously consulting chart and binnacle , and McCoy , openly and innocently consulting the binnacle , knew that they were running for Hao Island . By midnight the squalls ceased , and the stars came out . Captain Davenport was cheered by the promise of a clear day . `` I 'll get an observation in the morning , '' he told McCoy , `` though what my latitude is , is a puzzler . But I 'll use the Sumner method , and settle that .