twelve o'clock
While Dinah was busy with mops and brooms drying the carpet , and Mrs. Clayton thoroughly occupied with her active superintendence of the needful operations , little mischievous , meddlesome Ernie had made his way , contrary to all rules , beneath and behind my bed , and torn off a goodly portion of the gray and gilded paper which had so far effectually aided to conceal a closed door situated behind the bed-head , from which the frame had been removed . Then , for the first time since our acquaintance , did I slap sharply those little , busy fingers which I could have kissed for thankfulness , and , watching my opportunity , I replaced the paper , unseen by Mrs. Clayton , with the remains of a gum-arabic draught which had been prescribed for his cough . I knew that , after experiencing such condign punishment , he would return no more to the scene of his destruction , and that he might forget both injury and discovery , I devoted myself to his amusement during that active , long , rainy day with unhoped-for success . The glazier had announced to Mrs. Clayton that his return might be deferred for four-and-twenty hours , and , as the succeeding day was clear and warm , I proceeded , in spite of broken sashes , to take my daily bath as usual at twelve o'clock . Mrs. Clayton , with her prison-key in her pocket , and her snuffbox at hand , yielded herself , to the delight of ginger-nuts and her stocking-basket , and rested calmly after her fatigues of the preceding day ; and Ernie , attracted by the crunching noise -- the sound of dropping nuts , perhaps , which betrayed the presence of his favorite article of food -- hastened to keep her company -- a thing he never did disinterestedly , it most be confessed . An opportunity , now presented itself for observation which I knew might not again occur during my whole captivity ; and surely no sailor ever ascended to the mast-head of the Pinta with a heart more heaved with emotion than was mine , as I placed my foot on the last rung of the ladder , and towered from my waist upward above the skylight . I had drawn the bolt within , as I invariably did while bathing , and with a feeling of proud security I stood and surveyed the scene beneath and around me .