eleven o'clock
This done , the officer in charge presented himself on board with the clockwork under his arm , and in his hand a letter for Captain Crang , the first result of which was an order to dress ship . Within half an hour the _ Vesuvius 's _ crew had adorned her from bowsprit to trucks and from trucks to stern with bunting , as if for a Birthday ; though , as Mr. Jope observed , with a glance at the catamaran astern , the preparations pointed rather to a funeral . Mr. Jope , as third officer of the ship , betrayed some soreness that his two superiors had not taken him into their confidence . At eleven o'clock Captain Crang and Mr. Wapshott appeared on the poop in full uniform , and a further order was issued to load the guns blank for a salute . Hitherto the Major had been but an idler about deck ; but finding the crew of a gun short-handed , he volunteered his services , and was immersed in the business of loading when a hand clapped him on the shoulder . Turning , he confronted the boatswain . `` And you go for to pretend for to tell me , '' said Mr. Jope reproachfully , `` that you 're a amachoor ! ''