about
seven in the morning
The manoeuvre was executed . The sheets were let go , and the brig , catching more wind in its sails , advanced rapidly toward the corvette , on board which a strange scene was taking place at this moment , which must interest Captain Johnson in the highest degree . But , in order to make the reader thoroughly understand this scene , we must now return to El Alferez and his comrades , whom we left at their departure from the pulqueria . At the moment when the four men reached the jetty , although it was about seven in the morning , the beach was nearly deserted ; only a few ships ' boats were fastened up , and landing the men who were going to buy provisions . It was , therefore , an easy matter for the conspirators to , embark without attracting attention to their movements . At a signal given by Ramirez , the boat which had been pulling back and forwards during the night , came nearer land , and when the four men were seated in the stern sheets , and Ramirez had taken the tiller , the boat started for a small creek situated a little distance beyond the roadstead . The breeze , which during the night had been rather weak , had gradually risen ; the boat was easily got out to sea , sail was hoisted , and it soon entered the creek , where the _ Libertad _ was riding gently on her anchors .