About nine o'clock
He then appointed Mesty as first lieutenant ; the marine as sergeant ; the coxswain as boatswain ; two men as midshipmen to keep watch : two others as boatswain 's mates , leaving two more for the ship 's company , who were divided into the larboard and starboard watch . The cutter 's crew were perfectly content with Jack 's speech , and their brevet rank , and after that they commenced a more important topic , which was , how they were to take the ship . After some discussion , Mesty 's advice was approved of ; which was , that they should anchor not far ahead of the ship , and wait till about two o'clock in the morning , when they would drop silently down upon her in the cutter , and take possession . About nine o'clock the vessel was anchored as they proposed , and Jack was a little astonished to find that the ship was much larger that he had any idea of ; for , although polacca-rigged , she was nearly the same tonnage as the _ Harpy _ . The Spanish prisoners were first tied hand and foot , and laid upon the beans , that they might give no alarm , the sails were furled , and all was kept quiet . On board of the ship , on the contrary , there was noise and revelry ; and about half-past ten a boat was seen to leave her and pull for the shore ; after which the noise gradually ceased , the lights one by one disappeared , and then all was silent . `` What do you think , Mesty ? ''