five o'clock
When four hours had gone by the Rhinds boat was discovered to be just about a mile ahead of her nearest competitor . The Seawold boat , third in line , was half a mile behind the `` Benson , '' and the Blackson boat , last of all , was two miles behind the Pollard boat 's stern . But Jack and his friends had long ago ceased to feel any interest in the tail-enders . The race was to be over at five o'clock . At half-past three , or four hours and a half after the start , Jack found , by the help of the rangefinder , that the Rhinds boat led by a mile and an eighth . `` Keep the wheel , Eph ! '' called the Young commander .