six o'clock
`` Neither can I , '' I said ; `` and I like her none the better for that . '' Mr. Langely took his eye from the glass , and gave me a very significant look , whereby I saw that he had very much the same notion concerning the stranger that I myself entertained . By this time there was considerable bustle aboard the _ Greenwich _ , which rode at anchor not more than a furlong or two from where we lay , and by the gathering of the men on the forecastle I could see that they had sighted the craft , as we had already done . So the afternoon passed until six o'clock had come , against which time the stranger had almost come into open sight beyond the cape to the south , the hull alone being hidden by the low spit of sand which formed the extremity of the point . That evening I took my supper along with the passengers , as I had been used to do , for I wished to appear unconcerned , as , after all , my suspicions might be altogether groundless . Nevertheless , I came upon deck again as soon as I was able , and found that the stranger was now so far come into sight as to show a part of her hull , which was low , and painted black , and was of such an appearance as rather to increase than to lessen my serious suspicions of her nature . I could see there were two whale-boats ahead of her , and it was very plain to me that it was by means of these that the bark was making head against the current .