midnight
Go for ` ard , men . '' The natives obeyed him silently , much to Barry 's relief , for he read and understood the danger that lay under their apparently quiet manner . Barradas went for ` ard and liberated Billy , who , badly wounded as he was , at once turned to again as if nothing of any importance had occurred . All that night the calm continued , and when at midnight Barry came on deck , he found the ship had drifted in so close to the land that the breaking surf on the reef was plainly to be heard -- not more than three miles away , and too close to be regarded with indifference with such a strong current , and in a dead calm . He had almost decided to lower and man one of the whale-boats and begin towing the brig to the eastward so as to clear the southern horn of the projecting reef , when he heard the sound of oars through the darkness , and then came a loud hail . `` Ship ahoy , there ! '' `` Hallo , who are you ? ''