midnight
But the next moment , he got quietly into his bunk , and laid still , muttering to himself , he had only been rambling in his sleep . I did not know exactly what he had meant by his benches ; till , shortly after , I overheard two of the sailors debating , whether mankind would stand or sit at the Last Day . This Dream Book of Blunt 's reminds me of a narrow escape we had , early one morning . It was the larboard watch 's turn to remain below from midnight till four o'clock ; and having turned in and slept , Blunt suddenly turned out again about three o'clock , with a wonderful dream in his head ; which he was desirous of at once having interpreted . So he goes to his chest , gets out his tools , and falls to ciphering on the lid . When , all at once , a terrible cry was heard , that routed him and all the rest of us up , and sent the whole ship 's company flying on deck in the dark . We did not know what it was ; but somehow , among sailors at sea , they seem to know when real danger of any land is at hand , even in their sleep .