eight o’clock in the evening
John was anxious to reach the land before this inevitable consummation . He proposed to construct a raft strong enough to carry the passengers , and a sufficient quantity of provisions , to the coast of New Zealand . There was no time for discussion , the work was to be set about at once , and they had made considerable progress when night came and interrupted them . Toward eight o'clock in the evening , after supper , while Lady Helena and Mary Grant slept in their berths , Paganel and his friends conversed on serious matters as they walked up and down the deck . Robert had chosen to stay with them . The brave boy listened with all his ears , ready to be of use , and willing to enlist in any perilous adventure . Paganel asked John Mangles whether the raft could not follow the coast as far as Auckland , instead of landing its freight on the coast .