midnight
We were too short-handed to manage any sort of a gale ; and yet , the urgency of our return made it unwise to shorten canvas too much . It was as well , perhaps , that I had so much to distract my mind from the situation in the after house . The second of the series of curious incidents that complicated our return voyage occurred that night . I was on watch from eight bells midnight until four in the morning . Jones was in the crow 's - nest , McNamara at the wheel . I was at the starboard forward corner of the after house , looking over the rail . I thought that I had seen the lights of a steamer .