noon
In fact , he encouraged him , and particularly as the incessant howling seemed to have a strangely irritating effect on Robur . When Tom Turner and his companions were getting ready for fishing , the engineer ordered them to shut up Frycollin in his cabin . But the Negro never ceased his jumping about , and began to kick at the wall and yell with redoubled power . It was noon . The `` Albatross '' was only about fifteen or twenty feet above the water . A few ships , terrified at the apparition , sought safety in flight . As may be guessed , a sharp look-out was kept on the prisoners , whose temptation to escape could not but be intensified .