noon
After this , the bound Kanakas were taken aboard the two praus , the still unconscious but not badly hurt engineer was carried down , to join his chief on shore with the captain and mate , and the praus shoved off . Thus there were left on board the yacht only the boys , Jerry and his four mates , and Ah Sing , the Chinese steward . Ah Sing had gained a glimpse of the proceedings and had promptly barricaded himself in his quarters , where he took to burning joss sticks in wild panic . As he would make no answer either to Jerry or the boys , Mart and Bob set to work getting something to eat , for it was getting well on toward noon , and the occupation would at least keep their minds busy . Although some of the men flung them occasional black looks , the death of the Kanaka and that fleeting vision of the giant shark had sobered everyone tremendously . Not until the men had gathered in the mess-saloon -- for they were making free with the officers ' quarters , though they had touched nothing except the rifles and revolvers -- and had stowed away some of the tinned provisions and hot coffee that the boys provided , did their spirits seem to rise . Jerry had been remarkably silent , but he thawed out over the coffee .