midnight
I 'd try to fling a hawser about it somewhere , and haul it in and dry-dock it to find out what was wrong . I 've seen an oyster boat , that was leaking at every seam , calked and patched and painted to be good as new . '' `` Perhaps , '' said Mr. Wirt , with a short laugh ; `` but the oyster boats do n't go very far a-sea , and derelicts drift beyond hope or help . I am that kind , and if -- if '' -LRB- the speaker hesitated for a moment -RRB- , -- `` if I had a boy like you , I would n't take any chances with him : I 'd keep him off my deck ; I 'd put him on a sound ship with a wise captain and a steady crew , and he should be under orders until -- well , until he had learned to sail midnight seas like this by the light of the stars . '' And , tossing his half-smoked cigar into the water , Mr. Wirt turned abruptly away without any further `` goodnight . '' `` He 's a queer one , '' said Dan to himself , as he stared after the tall figure disappearing in the darkness . `` I do n't know what he means by his drifting and derelicts , but I guess it 's a sort of talk about breaking laws and rules like I am doing here to-night .