noon
`` I was thankful , I can tell you , when I got on board again . Just as I did so some lighters came out , and we were hard at work till dusk getting out the cargo . The next morning at daylight fresh cargo began to come out to us , and things went on well , and would have gone better had not people come on board pestering me with questions about our fight with the Spaniards . And just at noon two of the queen 's officers came down and must needs have the whole story from beginning to end ; and they had brought a clerk with them to write it down from my lips . They said we had done right gallantly , and that no doubt I should be wanted the next day at the royal council to answer other questions touching the affair . You may be sure I said no word about the fact that in six hours we should be dropping down the river ; for like enough if I had they would have ordered me not to go , and as I should have gone whether they had or not -- seeing that Captain Martin was looking for his wife , and that the mistress was anxious to be off -- it might have led to trouble when I got back again . `` By the afternoon we had got some thirty tons of goods on board , and although that is but a third of what she would carry , I was well content that we had done so much .