three o'clock
The spot which had been selected for the resting-place of the _ Ariel _ was a little glade formed by the bend of a frozen stream about five miles east of the town , and at a safe distance from the road . Painted a light whitish-grey all over , she would have been invisible even from a short distance as she lay amid the snow-laden trees , and Arnold gave strict orders that all the window-slides were to be kept closed , and no light shown on any account . Every precaution possible was taken to obviate a discovery which should seriously endanger the success of the rescue , but , nevertheless , the fan-wheels were kept aloft , and everything was in readiness to rise into the air at a moment 's notice should any emergency require them to do so . It was a little after three o'clock on the Thursday afternoon when the _ Ariel _ settled down in her resting-place , and half an hour later Colston and Ivan Petrovitch appeared on deck completely disguised , the former as a Russian fur trader , and the latter as his servant . All the arrangements for the rescue had been once more gone over in every detail , and just before he swung himself over the side Colston shook hands for the last time with Arnold , saying as he did so -- `` Well , good-bye again , old fellow ! Ivan shall come back and bring you the news , if necessary ; but if he does n't come , do n't be uneasy , but possess your soul in patience till you hear the whistle from the road in the morning . I expect the train will get in sometime during the night , and in that case we shall have everything ready to make the attempt soon after daybreak , if not before .