three o'clock
The sea , also , had been kicked up till it was a continuous succession of water-mountains , frightful and withal grand to look upon from the low deck of the sloop . It was only when the sloops were tossed upon the crests of the waves at the same time that they caught sight of each other . Occasional fragments of seas swashed into the cockpit or dashed aft over the cabin , and Joe was stationed at the small pump to keep the well dry . At three o'clock , watching his chance , French Pete motioned to the _ Reindeer _ that he was going to heave to and get out a sea-anchor . This latter was of the nature of a large shallow canvas bag , with the mouth held open by triangularly lashed spars . To this the towing-ropes were attached , on the kite principle , so that the greatest resisting surface was presented to the water . The sloop , drifting so much faster , would thus be held bow on to both wind and sea -- the safest possible position in a storm .