Ten o'clock
With the influence of the religious argument still upon him , the skipper , as the long summer 's day gave place to night , fell to wondering where his own mate , who was also his brother-in-law , had got to . Lights which had been struggling with the twilight now burnt bright and strong , and the skipper , moving from the shadow to where a band of light fell across the deck , took out a worn silver watch and saw that it was ten o'clock . Almost at the same moment a dark figure appeared on the jetty above and began to descend the ladder , and a strongly built young man of twenty-two sprang nimbly to the deck . `` Ten o'clock , Ted , '' said the skipper , slowly . `` It 'll be eleven in an hour 's time , '' said the mate , calmly . `` That 'll do , '' said the skipper , in a somewhat loud voice , as he noticed that his late adversary still occupied his favourite strained position , and a fortuitous expression of his mother 's occurred to him : `` Do n't talk to me ; I 've been arguing with a son of Belial for the last half-hour . '' `` Bargee , '' said the son of Belial , in a dispassionate voice .