one o'clock
And so , upon the morning of St. Michael , she compelled Lord Keppel , with an adverse mind , to turn a headland they had never turned before . The tide was far out and ebbing still , but the wind had shifted , and was blowing from the east rather stiffly , and with increasing force . Mary knew that the strong equinoctial tides were running at their height ; but she had timed her visit carefully , as she thought , with no less than an hour and a half to spare . And even without any thought of tide , she was bound to be back in less time than that , for her uncle had been most particular to warn her to be home without fail at one o'clock , when the sacred goose , to which he always paid his duties , would be on the table . And if anything marred his serenity of mind , it was to have dinner kept waiting . Without any misgivings , she rode into Basin Bay , keeping within the black barrier of rocks , outside of which wet sands were shining . She saw that these rocks , like the bar of a river , crossed the inlet of the cove ; but she had not been told of their peculiar frame and upshot , which made them so treacherous a rampart .