five p.m.
Hardly will the summons have left his lips before a white policeman will be at his side , note-book in hand , inquiring his name and ship , and taking a note of the sampan 's number , with the time of his leaving the wharf . Nothing perfunctory about the job either . Let but these precautions be omitted , and the chances that the passenger -LRB- if he have aught of value about him -RRB- will ever arrive at his destination are almost nil . So good was the progress made that by five p.m. we were busy at the head , while the last few turns of the windlass were being taken to complete the skinning of the body . With a long pent-up shout that last piece was severed and swung inboard , as the huge mass of reeking flesh floated slowly astern . As it drifted away we saw the patient watchers who had been waiting converging upon it from all quarters , and our hopes rose high . But there was no slackening of our efforts to get in the head .