noon
At the dawn of Christmas Day the skipper offered to relieve him , but the risk would have been too much , and the dogged East Coaster stuck to his work , though he was aching , drenched , and so sleepy that he did not know how to keep his eyes open . A queer Christmas ? Yes , but not much more queer than the Christmas passed by thousands of good fellows on that treacherous great channel . The warps both parted with an awful jerk at noon , just as Joe was about to drink a dismal health to Sal with some of the captain 's cognac . He took a look round , and , though I can not say that his courage went , I am bound to tell you that a kind of ferocious despair seized on him when he found the bargue yawing away from the Esperanza . She might broach-to any time , and then all would be over . Poor Joe !