noon
The fish were fair , but not what should be expected at this time of year . He would sail along to another favorable anchorage . This was his first day on the Banks and two days after Nellie 's discovery of Elsa 's packet . It was only noon , but Bijonah was speculating , and when he saw the fog bank coming he refused to run any risk with his men , and recalled them to the schooner by firing his shotgun until they all replied to the signal by raising one oar upright . It must not be thought that it was the fog that induced Bijonah to do this . Dorymen almost always fish when a fog comes down , and trust to their good fortune in finding the schooner . Bijonah wanted to look over the morning 's catch and get in tune with the millions under his keel .