noon
`` As the babe unborn , '' answered the men , and they all , except Grimes and his chum , following my example , gave Jim a hearty shake of the hand . I thought that he would have blubbered outright with pleasure . Though I was sure that Jim had never touched the sugar , I was thankful that the captain and the rest were convinced of his innocence . Before noon that day a dark bank of clouds was seen coming up from the southward . In a short time several black masses broke away from the main body , and came careering across the sky . `` Away aloft and shorten sail , '' cried the skipper . `` Be smart , lads ! ''