twelve o'clock
But the moon grew larger to their eyes , and they fancied if they stretched out their hands they could seize it . The next day , the 5th of November , at five in the morning , all three were on foot . That day was to be the last of their journey , if all calculations were true . That very night , at twelve o'clock , in eighteen hours , exactly at the full moon , they would reach its brilliant disc . The next midnight would see that journey ended , the most extraordinary of ancient or modern times . Thus from the first of the morning , through the scuttles silvered by its rays , they saluted the orb of night with a confident and joyous hurrah . The moon was advancing majestically along the starry firmament .