1 p.m.
In less than half an hour he had so won upon the man , who was by no means all bad , that everything approaching to reserve had completely vanished , and when Johnson came on deck after working out his sights he found the strangely assorted pair conversing as freely together as though they had been old shipmates . Lance was very careful to confine his conversation to generalities , and religiously abstained from asking any questions whatever ; he quite realised that the party to which he belonged were in a position of great difficulty and danger , their escape from which , if indeed they should ever escape at all , would certainly be a work of time , demanding the utmost caution and patience ; and his first endeavour , therefore , was to create a favourable impression rather than to risk suspicion by a too early attempt to acquire information . When Johnson saw the two in conversation he at once edged his way aft with the evident intention of ascertaining what they were talking about ; but although Lance at once noted the movement and made a mental memorandum to the effect that the pirate skipper was clearly a man of suspicious temperament , he gave no outward sign of having observed any such thing , but simply continued the conversation as unrestrainedly as though Johnson had not been there . Lance remained on deck until dinner-time , which was 1 p.m. on board the _ Albatross _ , when he rejoined his friends below . `` Well , '' said he , as he seated himself at the rough deal table which had been knocked together for their accommodation , `` I have spent a very pleasant , and , I hope , a very profitable morning on deck . '' `` Have you ? '' remarked Captain Staunton , `` I am glad to hear that .