noon before
Ships may have passed within a few miles of us , without our knowing anything about it . It was very different from being high up on a ship 's deck , or in her rigging . Sometimes , though , we seemed high enough up , when we got on the top of a wave . It was fully noon before we saw another sail . And when we saw this one for the second or third time -LRB- for we only caught a glimpse of it every now and then -RRB- , a big man , who had been sitting on the edge of the raft , and hardly ever saying a word , sung out : `` I believe that 's a Russian bark . '' And after he had had two or three more sights at her , he said : `` Yes , I know she is . '' `` That 's so , '' said the captain ; `` and she 's bearing down on us . ''