eight o'clock
`` It 's for her sake , '' repeated Flower , calmly , `` Take on old Ben as mate , and ship another hand forward . '' The mate ended the subject by going to his bunk and turning in ; the skipper , who realised that he himself would have plenty of time for sleep , went on deck and sat silently smoking . Old Ben was at the wheel , and the skipper felt a glow of self-rightousness as he thought of the rise in life he was about to give the poor fellow . At eight o'clock the mate relieved Ben , and the skipper with a view of keeping up appearances announced his intention of turning in for a bit . The sun went down behind clouds of smoky red , but the light of the summer evening lasted for some time after . Then darkness came down over the sea , and it was desolate except for the sidelights of distant craft . The mate drew out his watch and by the light of the binnacle-lamp , saw that it was ten minutes to ten .