five o'clock in the afternoon
_ Pete had written a letter to himself _ . Next day the crier was crying : `` Great meeting -- Manx fishermen -- on Zigzag at Peel when boats come in to-morrow morning -- protest agen harbour taxes . '' `` The thing itself , '' thought Pete , with his hand pressed hard on the outside of his breast-pocket . At five o'clock in the afternoon he went down to the harbour , where his Nickey lay by the quay , shouted to the master , `` Take an odd man tonight , Mr. Kemish ? '' then dropped to the deck and helped to fetch the boat into the bay . They had to haul her out by poles alone the quay wall , for the tide was low , and there was no breakwater . It was still early in the herring season , but the fishing was in full swing .