eleven o'clock
We duly dined with the commodore that night , and I was able to promise him that he should have my complete requisition before noon the next day , at which he expressed himself much pleased . And after dinner , when the cloth had been drawn and the servants had retired , the dear old gentleman gave us both a very long and serious talking-to , which did us both a great deal of good , and for which I , at least , and Jack , too , I believe , felt profoundly grateful . We were a pair of very sober lads when at length we bade him good-night and made the best of our way aboard the saucy little _ Francesca _ . Jack and I got to work at daylight next morning , and by dint of really hard labour I was not only able to keep my promise of the previous night to the commodore , but to do rather better , for it was barely eleven o'clock when I entered his office and handed him my requisition . He read it very carefully through from beginning to end , asked me if I felt quite certain that it embodied the whole of my requirements , and , upon my replying that I was , at once signed it , bidding me to be off at once to get it executed and then to report to him . I saw that he was very anxious for me to get away as quickly as possible , and I therefore went straight from him to the various people concerned , and badgered them so unmercifully that the bulk of my requirements were alongside that same evening , while by breakfast-time on the following morning the last boatload had come off , and I felt myself free to go ashore , leaving Jack in charge , and report myself ready for sea . I was at the office even before the commodore that morning , and he expressed himself as being much gratified at the expedition with which I had completed my preparations .