ten o'clock
So , although the sun was nearing the horizon , the ice was melting , and thousands of small streams flowed in every direction . The early birds awoke at four o'clock , and I was one of their number . I had scarcely slept , and I fancy that Dirk Peters did not sleep much , haunted as he was by the sad thought of having to turn back ! The launch was to take place at ten o'clock . Taking every possible difficulty into account , and allowing for the minutest precautions , the captain hoped that it would be completed before the close of the day . Everyone believed that by evening the schooner would be at the foot of the berg . Of course we had all to lend a hand to this difficult task .