noon
He had been inspirited for the whole voyage ; and the first thing he should do when they arrived at Boston would be to buy a dress and a ring ; and when he came home he determined that his first business should be to make an expedition to the island , and put a certain question to a certain person whom he knew out there . He was roused from his abstraction by the boatswain bawling out his name , and asking if he was going to sleep there , and whether he wanted something to wake him up . The order had been given to make all snug for the night , as the breeze was freshening . The watches had been set at noon , and the starboard and larboard watch told off , as customary on the first day a vessel goes to sea . Salvé had the middle watch ; and by that time the sea was running high , and they were plunging through the darkness under a double-reefed mainsail , the moon every now and then clearing an open space in the storm -- clouds that were driving like smoke before it , so that he could fitfully distinguish objects over the deck , even to the look-out man 's looming figure out upon the forecastle . Upon the capstan bar sat a sailor in oilskin clothes , who had probably been on shore the previous night and not closed his eyes , and who was making great efforts to keep awake . His head , however , would still keep nodding ; and from time to time he stood up and tried to keep himself warm by exercising his arms .