one o'clock
This was serious news to me , for Cuba was about the last place that I desired to visit , at least on board the _ Francesca _ , for I foresaw that if once we got over there the difficulty of effecting my escape from the accursed craft would be very greatly increased ; indeed , I had quite reckoned upon her being fallen in with and captured by one of our cruisers , either while standing in for a fresh cargo of slaves , or when coming out again with them on board , to which chance alone could I look with any reason for the prospect of deliverance from my present embarrassing and disagreeable situation . True , there was just a possibility of our being picked up by one of the West Indian squadron ; but I had not much hope of that , our vessels on that station being mostly slow , deep-draught craft , altogether unsuited for the pursuit and capture of the swift , light-draught slavers , who , unless caught at advantage in open water , could laugh us to scorn by the simple expedient of taking short cuts across shoals , or seeking refuge among the shallow lagoons that abound among the islands , and are especially plentiful and spacious along the northern coast of Cuba . However , there was no use in worrying over a state of things that I had no power to mend ; I therefore assumed charge of the deck , and allowed matters to take their course -- since I needs must . The breeze continued to freshen as the sun increased his distance above the horizon , and we went bowling along at a most exhilarating pace , overhauling the brig ahead , slowly but surely ; and when at one o'clock the steward summoned me to the cabin to dinner , a space of barely two miles separated the two craft . She had just hoisted Portuguese colours , of which , however , Mendouca took no notice , somewhat to my surprise , since he reiterated the statement that she was the craft he had believed her to be , and that the captain of her and he were old friends . It was my afternoon watch below ; so when I rose from the dinner-table I said -- `` Captain Mendouca , I have no wish to identify myself in any way with the transaction you are about to negotiate ; you must excuse me therefore if , it being my watch below , I retire to my cabin . '' `` Very well , Dugdale , '' he answered , quite good-humouredly , `` I can manage the business perfectly well without you ; if therefore _ your conscience _ '' -- with just the faintest suggestion of a sneer -- `` will not permit you to take an active part in it , you are quite welcome to stay below until the affair is at an end , when I will call you . ''