three in the
   afternoon
Stacpoole originally indicated black shadows of the rigging on the deck . 2 . On page 19 : London edition : It was seven bells -- half-past three in the afternoon -- and the ship 's bell had just rung out . US edition : It was three bells -- half-past three in the afternoon -- and the ship 's bell had just rung out . The London edition is correct : seven bells is 3:30 in the afternoon . Three bells is half-past one . 3 .