About three o'clock
He turned his quid with the most serene composure , and continued : `` And is n't it me myself that 's been wrecked nine times already ? and sure , poor fools are they that ever have put their trust in rafts or boats ; sure and they found a wathery grave . Nay , nay ; while the ould ship lasts , let 's stick to her , says I. '' Having thus unburdened his mind he relapsed into silence , and soon went away . About three o'clock I noticed that Mr. Kear and Silas Huntly were holding an animated conversation in the foretop . The petroleum merchant had evidently some difficulty in bringing the ex-captain round to his opinion , for I saw him several times shake his head as he gave long and scrutinizing looks at the sea and sky . In less than an hour afterward I saw Huntly let himself down by the forestays and clamber along to the fore-castle , where he joined the group of sailors , and I lost sight of him . I attached little importance to the incident , and shortly afterward joined the party in the main-top , where we continued talking for some hours .