four in the afternoon
You two assemble and oil it up this afternoon , or you 'll hear from me at eight bells . '' The voice of Riley -- who was nearly as large a man as Sampson -- answered hotly but inarticulately , and Denman could only ascribe the row to a difference of opinion concerning the condition of some part of the engines . Sampson , though possibly a lesser engineer than the others of his department , yet dominated them as Jenkins dominated them all -- by pure force of personality . He had made himself chief engineer , and his orders were obeyed , as evidenced by the tranquil silence that emanated from the engine room when Sampson returned at four in the afternoon . All day the boat lay with quiet engines and a bare head of steam , rolling slightly in a swell that now came from the east , while the sun shone brightly overhead from east to west , and only a few specks appeared on the horizon , to remain for a time , and vanish . Meanwhile Florrie worried Denman with questions that he could not answer . `` Forsythe took sights in the morning , '' he explained at length , `` and a meridian observation at noon .