about noon
As is well known , sailors are devoted to animals , and Marryat was no exception to the rule . He has left on record a story of a pet baboon , which was on board the _ Tees _ with him -- `` I had on board a ship which I commanded a very large Cape baboon , who was a pet of mine , and also a little boy , who was a son of mine . When the baboon sat down on his hams he was about as tall as the boy when he walked . The boy , having a tolerable appetite , received about noon a considerable slice of bread-and-butter to keep him quiet till dinner-time . I was on one of the carronades , busy with the sun 's lower limb , bringing it into contact with the horizon , when the boy 's lower limbs brought him into contact with the baboon , who , having , as well as the boy , a strong predilection for bread-and-butter , and a stronger arm to take it withal , thought proper to help himself to that to which the boy had already been helped . In short , he snatched the bread-and-butter , and made short work of it , for it was in his pouch in a moment . `` Upon this the boy set up a yell , which attracted my notice to this violation of the articles of war , to which the baboon was equally amenable as any other person in the ship , for it is expressly stated in the preamble of every article , ` all who are _ in _ , or _ belonging _ to . '