seven o'clock
I could not possibly have hoped for a more favourable reception . I soon found the Master-Attendant , and inexorably button-holed him while I explained what I wanted done , although the poor man was frightfully busy just then , several ships being in harbour , refitting after having been in action with the enemy . But , let him protest as he might , I would not release him until he had agreed to do everything that I required ; the result being that when the dockyard men knocked off work to go to dinner that day , the felucca was already alongside the wharf , and more than half her ballast out of her ; while , when the dockyard bell rang at six o'clock that night , signalling the cessation of work for the day , her hold had been swept clean , a quantity of dunnage laid in it , and four 68-pounders stowed on the top thereof , well packed up all round to prevent them from shifting when the craft was at sea . But although I remained on the spot until the last moment , supervising matters in order that everything might be done to my satisfaction , I still managed to reach the Pen by seven o'clock -- a smart sailing boat up to Kingston , and a ketureen from thence out to the Pen being my means of conveyance . Sir Peter was as much surprised as pleased when I reported to him the amount of progress that I had made during the day . `` It is wonderful ! '' he exclaimed .