noon
muttered the skipper to himself . `` This comes of my being ill and entrusting my duties to other hands ; but I 'll never do it again , I 'll take care ! Mr Macdougall , '' he added aloud , `` I beg your pardon for what I said just now in the heat of the moment , and I hope you 'll excuse it , as I was greatly flurried , and do not feel very well yet . What position did you place the vessel in to-day , by the way , when you took your observation at noon ? '' This was a ticklish question , and the mate hardly knew how to answer it , recollecting , as he did in an instant , what I had said -- of our being much further westwards than the skipper thought . Even if he did not agree with me , the point should have been referred to Captain Billings , as it so vitally concerned the interests of all on board . Almost tongue-tied , therefore , now by his former silence on the subject , he temporised with the difficulty , determined not to be cornered if he could help it . ''