eleven
o'clock
From noon till after ten , we were kept busy storing thirteen-inch shells for the biggest guns in the navy . They weigh 1,100 pounds apiece and are dangerous things to handle , not only on account of their weight , but because of the charge of powder each carries . We also loaded eight , six , and five-inch shells into the after hold . We turned in at eleven o'clock , and were roused at 3:30 next morning to begin the same heavy work . When the starboard watch returned the following noon , we were still at it , and they , too , had to pitch in and help as soon as they could get into working clothes . Saturday , Sunday , and Monday were spent in the same way -- stowing food for Uncle Sam 's mighty guns . The thirteen-inch shells were crated in heavy planks , bound with iron ; slings of rope were placed around them and they were lowered slowly into the hold .