about three in the afternoon
Unluckily , he made a long stretch to the northward , intending to tack and cross what he supposed must have been the position of the ship , and come to my relief . While the launch was thus working its way to windward , I fell in with , and took possession of , the raft , as has been described . Marble 's calculation was a good one , in the main ; but it brought him near the Dawn the night she sank , and the raft and boat were both too low to be seen at any distance , the one from the other . It is probable we were not more than ten or twelve miles asunder the most of the day I was on the raft , Marble putting up his helm to cross the supposed position of the ship , about three in the afternoon . This brought him down upon the raft , about midnight , when the conversation I have related took place , within a few yards of me , neither party having the least notion of the proximity of the other . I was touched by the manner in which Marble and Neb spoke of my supposed fate . Neither seemed to remember that he was washed away from a ship , but appeared to fancy that I was abandoned alone , on the high seas , in a sinking vessel .