twelve o'clock
For when the sailing-master , whose duty it is to take the regular observation at noon , touches his hat , and reports twelve o'clock to the officer of the deck ; that functionary orders a midshipman to repair to the captain 's cabin , and humbly inform him of the respectful suggestion of the sailing-master . `` Twelve o'clock reported , sir , '' says the middy . '' _ Make _ it so , '' replies the captain . And the bell is struck eight by the messenger-boy , and twelve o'clock it is . As in the case of the Commodore , when the captain visits the deck , his subordinate officers generally beat a retreat to the other side and , as a general rule , would no more think of addressing him , except concerning the ship , than a lackey would think of hailing the Czar of Russia on his throne , and inviting him to tea . Perhaps no mortal man has more reason to feel such an intense sense of his own personal consequence , as the captain of a man-of-war at sea . Next in rank comes the First or Senior Lieutenant , the chief executive officer .