midnight
In the same dock was a ship taking in cargo and passengers for Charleston , South Carolina . Manuel went on board , and found , in conversation with the steward , that she had sailed from that port on the 23d of May . A short conversation disclosed that they had been old shipmates from the Thames , on board of the Indiaman , Lord William Bentick , and were on board of that ship when an unfortunate circumstance occurred to her on entering a British North American port , many years ago . Here they sat recounting the many adventures through which they had passed since that period , the ships they had sailed in , the sufferings they had gone through , and the narrow escapes they had had for their lives , until past midnight . Manuel wound up by giving a detailed account of his sufferings in Charleston . `` What ! '' said the steward of the Charleston ship , `` then you must have known our cabin-boy , he belonged to the same vessel ! ''