noon
The meal ended , George wended his way back toward the dock , and , turning into Nightingale Lane , established himself in tolerably comfortable quarters in a boarding-house kept by a widow , whose husband had been what she called a `` sea-captain . '' On the following day Captain Leicester paid over the full amount of the purchase-money , receiving in return the ship 's register properly endorsed ; and that same evening he found himself the undisputed owner of the _ Aurora _ . His next task was to secure a freight . This he had no difficulty in doing -- in fact he had his choice of some half a dozen -- and by noon he had accepted a charter for the conveyance of a general cargo to Kingston , Jamaica ; to commence loading at once . Having completed the business , he hurried away to the shipping-office , and was fortunate enough to secure the services of a very promising-looking mate , who undertook to establish himself on board forthwith , so as to be on the spot in readiness to receive the cargo as it came down to the ship . George now found himself comparatively at leisure , and he had at one time serious thoughts of running down to Gosport , were it only for a day , just to see Lucy once more , and bid her good-bye . Well would it have been for both of them had he done so .