noon
In nothing are the high qualities of ships so thoroughly tried as in their manner of behaving , as it is termed , in these moments of difficulty ; nor is the seamanship of the accomplished officer so triumphantly established in any other part of his professional knowledge , as when he has had an opportunity of showing that he knows how to dispose of the vast weight his vessel is to carry , so as to enable her mould to exhibit its perfection , and on occasion to turn both to the best account . Nothing will seem easier to a landsman than for a vessel to run before the wind , let the force of the gale be what it may . But his ignorance overlooks most of the difficulties , nor shall we anticipate their dangers , but let them take their places in the regular thread of the narrative . Long before noon , or the hour mentioned , Captain Truck foresaw that , in consequence of the seas that were constantly coming on board of her , he should be compelled to put his ship before the wind . He delayed the manoeuvre to the last moment , however , for what he deemed to be sufficient reasons . The longer he kept the ship lying-to , the less he deviated from his proper course to New York , and the greater was the probability of his escaping , stealthily and without observation from the Foam , since the latter , by maintaining her position better , allowed the Montauk to drift gradually to leeward , and , of course , to a greater distance . But the crisis would no longer admit of delay .