nearly midnight
The _ Thetis _ was one of these ; and Jack allowed it to be pretty generally understood that after the Weymouth regatta was over he intended to run north for a month or so , visiting the Baltic , and perhaps proceeding as far east as Cronstadt . But yachtsmen are among the most capricious of men -- some of them never know from one moment to another what they really intend to do ; thus it is , after all , not very surprising that when the _ Thetis _ arrived off the mouth of the Tyne Jack Singleton should suddenly give orders for her nose to be turned shoreward , and that , an hour or two later , she should glide gently up alongside and make fast to the private wharf of Singleton , Murdock , and Company . What is surprising is that , when she was seen approaching , some fifty of Singleton , Murdock , and Company 's most trusty hands received sudden notice that they were required for an all-night job ; and that at dawn the next morning the _ Thetis _ drew a full foot more water than she had done when she ran alongside the wharf some twelve hours earlier , although in the interim she had not taken an ounce of coal into her bunkers . It so happened that Mr Murdock was absent on important business when the _ Thetis _ arrived alongside the wharf , and he did not return to Newcastle until nearly midnight , when he , of course , made the best of his way to his own house . But he was at the works betimes next morning , and , knowing that the yacht was expected , he took the wharf on his way to the office , with the object of ascertaining whether she had arrived . The sight of her lying alongside in all her bravery of white enamel paint , gilt mouldings , and polished brasswork caused him to heave a great sigh of relief ; and he joyously hurried forward to greet Jack , whom he saw standing on the wharf engaged in earnest conversation with the yard foreman . `` Good-morning , Singleton !