noon
Sampson had hinted at big things talked about . Billings had spoken of a vote -- to stay at sea or not . However , there could have been no vote since Billings ' last visit because of their condition . But Forsythe had indubitably taken chronometer sights in the morning , and , being most certainly sober , had doubtless worked them out and ascertained the longitude , which , with a meridian observation at noon , would give him the position of the yacht . The `` big things '' requiring a vote were all in Forsythe 's head , and he had merely anticipated the vote . Not knowing their position himself , except as indicated by the trade-wind clouds , Denman could only surmise that a west northwest course would hit the American coast somewhere between Boston and Charleston . But what they wanted there was beyond his comprehension .