noon
He 's a tramp we picked up at Key West . Do you recognize his credentials , or would you say they 're forgeries ? '' `` They look like forgeries to me , Mr. Thomas , '' the old skipper answered at once , not being within ten feet of Monsieur and his paper . `` If I 'm mistaken , sir , I 'll apologize when we get ashore , but I car n't see any reason why the ceremony should n't take place at high noon . If that 's too early , Mr. Jack , we can sail back to Key West -- or New Oreleans . '' `` But my authority , '' the professor cried , seeming on the verge of apoplexy . Tommy closed the calf-bound book and tossed it over to me , then turned Monsieur good-naturedly around and pointed to the Stars and Stripes flying at our main peak .