eight o'clock
A little later , with the rain pattering heavily down upon the roof , all hands turned in for the first ground sleep they had had since starting out upon their trip . Shortly after daylight the next morning they were astir , to find the rain had ceased but that the field was a mass of ooze . Through this Tom made his way to the cobblestone street and down to the piers . But the coasting steamer had not yet arrived ; in fact , she did not come in until after eight o'clock , and it was two hours later before the flyers succeeded in getting their tanks filled with the gasoline she had brought . Then it was found necessary to secure the aid of a half-dozen negroes , and to lay down many strips of heavy bark for traction , before the Sky-Bird could be run out of her mired position . Paul was at the throttle as they took off . When he had attained a fair altitude , he gradually increased the speed until they were running full out .