eight o'clock
`` The captain and half the officers voted , '' whispered Grossbeck at four bells . `` Certainly ; that 's all right . You and McKeon will meet Pelham and me in the waist at eight bells , '' replied Shuffles , as he went below . The first part of the port watch went on duty at eight o'clock , when the secret poll for the choice of a captain , under the new order of events , was closed . Shuffles was in this watch , but as neither his `` trick at the wheel '' nor his turn on the lookout came within the first hour , he had an opportunity to attend to the important business of the League . Pelham and the two receivers of votes belonged in the second part of the port watch , and there was nothing to prevent them from attending the conference which Shuffles had appointed . While Shuffles had been teaching the `` outsiders '' the game of `` Do n't know Beans , '' Pelham , as officer of the deck , remained abaft the mizzenmast , and had failed to notice what was taking place in the waist .