nearly three o'clock
And meanwhile I suppose I ought to be getting back to the yacht , to be ready to receive de Albareda . So , good-bye ! See you to-morrow . '' It was nearly three o'clock when Singleton reached the _ Thetis _ ; but in answer to his enquiries he was informed that no stranger had visited the ship . He therefore spent the entire afternoon in posting Milsom on the position of affairs generally , and discussing with him Jack 's plan for the rescue of the Montijos from the convict steamer ; which plan , by the way , Milsom pronounced to be quite feasible , stating that , like Jack , he was fully prepared to go through with it , piracy or not . And therewith he began to congratulate himself upon his foresight in employing his spare time in the preparation of his wonderful disguise for the yacht , an opportunity to use which he had been awaiting with steadily-growing impatience . It was past five o'clock when the steam pinnace appeared approaching the yacht , with de Albareda in the stern-sheets ; and that officer explained his delay by stating that he had been obliged to go on duty during the afternoon , and had only just escaped therefrom .