twenty minutes past nine
The older , wiser heads laughed at such rumors , and said it was foolishness , but all were ready and anxious to listen to the wildest tales . All the time the ship was getting under way the routine work was going on . The sweepers had obeyed the order given by the boatswain 's mate , accompanied by the pipe peculiar to that order , `` Gun-deck sweepers , clean sweep fore and aft ; sweepers , clean your spit kits . '' At twenty minutes past nine the bugle sounded the first or officers ' call to quarters , a call that sounded like `` Get your sword on , get your sword on , get your sword on , get your sword on , get your sword on right away ! '' Ten minutes later came `` assembly , '' and the men rushed to their places at the guns and their stations in the powder divisions . After our division had been mustered , `` Long Tommy , '' the boatswain 's mate and captain of our gun , said to `` Hay , '' `` I think we 'll have some shooting to-day . I saw the gunners ' mates rigging a target . ''