three o'clock in the afternoon
I had no topsails and no square sail . Thus , should I be chased by an enemy , I should be , I felt , like a bird with clipped wings , I should have very little chance of escaping . I got some of the weeds scraped off the vessel 's bottom , but still there were more than enough remaining . Such good speed did I make , that before three o'clock in the afternoon of that very day I was ready for sea , or , rather , I was in such a condition that I could put to sea , though the urgent necessity of the case alone warranted me in so doing . `` Well , sir , '' observed Grampus , with the familiarity of an old shipmate , `` if we comes to meet with Harry Cane in our cruise , it 's like enough that we shall be nowhere . '' Just before we got under weigh , Captain Lambert , of his Majesty 's ship Niger , came on board . He shrugged his shoulders when he saw the condition I was in .