midnight
`` Keep her as she goes , and leave that black buoy to starboard . '' Then he stepped out on deck . Seamen , officers as well as men , accustomed to `` watch and watch , '' of four hours ' alternate duty and sleep , usually waken at eight bells , even when sure of an all night 's sleep . It was long after midnight when Denman had gone to sleep on the pantry floor , and the slight noise of getting under way did not arouse him ; but when eight bells came around again , he sat up , confused , not conscious that he had been called , but dimly realizing that the boat was at sea , and that he was culpable in not being on deck . The crew had come , no doubt , and he had over-slept . He did not immediately realize that it was still dark , and that if the crew had come the steward would have found him . He dressed hurriedly in his room , and went on deck , spying a fleeing man in brown mounting the steps ahead of him , and looked around .