noon
I 'm going to take an observation this noon . Fortunately , my chronometer did not stop and I can get the correct reckoning . '' But the captain was disappointed . At noon the sun was hidden under a dense bank of clouds , and , as `` dead reckoning '' would have been of no avail , since they had no previous record to go by , he had to postpone matters . However , there was plenty to do . When the tide went out late that afternoon they saw that it would be possible to get most of the things from the wrecked boat . This kept them busy until dark .