nine
o'clock
That the larger of these dreaded fish had died in the same manner there was no reason to doubt ; but probably it had sunk in the deep water outside the barrier reef . _ On Board the '' _ Tucopia _ . '' The little island trading barque _ Tucopia _ , Henry Robertson , master , lay just below Garden Island in Sydney Harbour , ready to sail for the Friendly Islands and Samoa as soon as the captain came on board . At nine o'clock , as Bruce , the old , white-haired , Scotch mate , was pointing out to Mrs. Lacy and the Reverend Wilfrid Lacy the many ships around , and telling them from whence they came or where they were bound , the second mate called out -- `` Here 's the captain 's boat coming , sir . '' Bruce touched his cap to the pale-faced , violet-eyed clergyman 's wife , and turning to the break of the poop , at once gave orders to `` heave short , '' leaving the field clear to Mr. Charles Otway , the supercargo of the _ Tucopia _ , who was twenty-two years of age , had had seven years ' experience of general wickedness in the South Seas , thought he was in love with Mrs. Lacy , and that , before the barque reached Samoa , he would make the lady feel that the Reverend Wilfrid was a serious mistake , and that he , Charles Otway , was the one man in the world whom she could love and be happy with for ever . So , being a hot-blooded and irresponsible young villain , though careful and decorous to all outward seeming , he set himself to work , took exceeding care over his yellow , curly hair , and moustache , and abstained from swearing in Mrs. Lacy 's hearing . * * * * * A week before , Mr. and Mrs. Lacy had called at the owner 's office and inquired about a passage to Samoa in the _ Tucopia _ , and Otway was sent for .