five o'clock
`` Joe 's about half mad , '' said the mate . `` It 's wonderful how upset he is . '' The skipper cursed Joe separately , and the mate , whose temper was getting bad , closed the interview by locking the door . At five o'clock , by which time they had cleared three masses of weed and a barnacle-covered plank , they abandoned the search and resumed the voyage . A gloom settled on the forecastle , and the cook took advantage of the occasion to read Tim a homily upon the shortness of life and the suddenness of death . Tim was much affected , but not nearly so much as he was when he discovered that the men were going to pay a last tribute to the late captain 's memory by abstaining from breakfast . He ventured to remark that the excitement and the night air had made him feel very hungry , and was promptly called an unfeeling little brute by the men for his pains .