two o'clock in the afternoon
The cut and fit proved to be everything : that could be desired , and I was faithfully promised that the suit should be ready for me to don upon joining the ship after signing articles . In keeping with our pretensions to be a `` swagger '' ship and crew , the wardroom mess took lunch , instead of dinner , at one o'clock , dining at seven o'clock in the evening . This was the hour adopted by the saloon party , who , I learned , were regularly reinforced by one or more members of the wardroom contingent , by special invitation from Mrs Vansittart . It was just two o'clock in the afternoon when the boatswain piped `` All hands unmoor ship '' ; and by half-past two we were through the dock gates and heading down the river , impelled by our own engine . Bearing out what Kennedy and the others had already told me as to Mrs Vansittart being the actual as well as nominal captain of the yacht , at the call of `` All hands '' the lady had appeared on deck . She was arrayed in an exceedingly neat and workmanlike costume of navy-blue serge , the jacket of which was fastened with gilt buttons bearing the insignia of the New York Yacht Club , the cuffs being adorned with four rows of gold braid , the top row showing the `` executive curl '' , while her smartly dressed chestnut hair was surmounted by a navy cap of the most approved pattern , the peak edged with the usual trimming of a wreath of oak leaves embroidered in gold thread , while the front of the cap bore the New York Yacht Club badge . True , she did not give her orders respecting the unmooring of the ship directly to the crew , as this would probably have resulted in unduly straining her voice , singularly sweet and pure in quality , of which , as I subsequently discovered , she was very justly proud .