seven o'clock
The tide was down ; there was no breakwater ; the neck of the harbour was narrow , and four hundred boats were coming to take shelter and to land their cargoes . It was a scene of tumult and confusion -- shouting , swearing , and fighting among the men , and crushing and cranching among the boats as they nosed their way to the harbour mouth , threw ropes on to the quay , where fifty ropes were round one post already , or cast anchors up the bank of the castle rock , which was steep and dangerous to lie on . Pete got landed somehow , but his Nickey with half the fleet turned tail and went round the island . As he leapt ashore , the helpless harbour-master , who had been bellowing over the babel through a cracked trumpet , turned to him and said , `` For the Lord 's sake , Capt 'n Quilliam , if you 've got a friend that can lend us a hand , go off to the meeting at seven o'clock . '' `` I mane to , '' said Pete , but he had something else to do first . It was the task that had brought him to Peel , and no eye must see him do it . Slowly and slyly , like one who does a doubtful thing and pretends to be doing nothing , he went stealing through the town -- behind the old Court-house and up Castle Street , into the market-place , and across it to the line of shops which make the principal thoroughfare .