twelve o'clock
And still he tells Christie he shall command a vessel some day , and leads her to the most cheering inferences from the fact of his prudence and his general width-awake ; in particular he bids her contrast with him the general fate of sailors , eaten up by land-sharks , particularly of the female gender , whom he demonstrates to be the worst enemies poor Jack has ; he calls these sunken rocks , fire-ships and other metaphors . He concludes thus : `` You are all the lass I mean to have till I 'm a skipper , and then I 'll bear up alongside some pretty , decent lass , like yourself , Christie , and we 'll sail in company all our lives , let the wind blow high or low . '' Such is the gracious Flucker become in his twentieth year . Last voyage , with Christie 's aid , he produced a sextant of his own , and `` made it twelve o'clock '' -LRB- with the sun 's consent , I hope -RRB- , and the eyes of authority fell upon him . So , who knows ? perhaps he may one day , sail a ship ; and , if he does , he will be prouder and happier than if we made him monarch of the globe . To return to our chiefs ; Mrs. Gatty gave her formal consent to her son 's marriage with Christie Johnstone .