Three minutes past six
`` Gone ! Look at the cabin clock , Shaw ! '' `` Nearly right , I think , sir . Three minutes past six . '' The helmsman struck four bells sharply . Another barefooted seacannie glided on the far side of the poop to relieve the wheel , and the serang of the brig came up the ladder to take charge of the deck from Shaw . He came up to the compass , and stood waiting silently .