about midnight
We were all proud to have her ; for you see , with all her beauty , there was n't a bit of vanity or nonsense about her , and she would speak kind-like to any one of us , just as if we was her equal . Soon after she came on board , the admiral heard that there was a rich Spanish ship just about putting to sea , and a very good sailer . He knew if she once got ahead of us we should never catch her up , so , without waiting to land Lady Cochrane , we slipped our cables and made sail up to where the treasure-ship and several others of the enemy 's vessels lay at anchor . We beat to quarters , and got up to them about midnight all ready for action . We were not long in beginning the sport , nor they in returning the compliments we paid them ; for , besides the treasure-ship , the Spaniards had some gun-boats moored under their forts . While we were firing away , the mother , just like her little son , would n't leave the deck , but stood there like any hero , animating the men . `` After some time one of the crew of a gun , a Chilian , seemed to be afraid of firing .