noon
She was the small French cruiser Forbin , and was bound to meet the Caledonia if the latter continued her course . The Forbin was a third-class cruiser , not so fast as the Caledonia -LRB- the officers estimated her speed at twenty-one knots -RRB- , which could have beaten her in a race ; but if the Caledonia made for Brindisi , she was bound to meet the Frenchman , and could only expect to be captured . Accordingly , the captain altered his course and turned westwards towards Malta , without heeding the signal to stop or the shots that were fired , one of which only went through the rigging , without doing any damage worth mentioning . `` It is now noon , '' said Heideck . `` We ought to be in Brindisi to-morrow . Instead , we shall be in La Valetta , unless the captain changes his course again and trusts to the speed of the Caledonia to reach Brindisi in spite of the Forbin . '' Then a loud shout was heard .