nearly twelve o'clock
About nine o'clock the party broke up , and the two captains put on their caps and buttoned up their pea-jackets , and started for Captain Cephas 's house , but not before Captain Eli had carefully fastened every window and every door except the front door , and had told Mrs. Trimmer how to fasten that when they had gone , and had given her a boatswain 's whistle , which she might blow out of the window if there should be a sudden croup and it should be necessary for any one to go anywhere . He was sure he could hear it , for the wind was exactly right for him to hear a whistle from his house . When they had gone Mrs. Trimmer put the little girl to bed , and was delighted to find in what a wonderfully neat and womanlike fashion that house was kept . It was nearly twelve o'clock that night when Captain Eli , sleeping in his bunk opposite that of Captain Cephas , was aroused by hearing a sound . He had been lying with his best ear uppermost , so that he should hear anything if there happened to be anything to hear . He did hear something , but it was not a boatswain 's whistle ; it was a prolonged cry , and it seemed to come from the sea . In a moment Captain Eli was sitting on the side of his bunk , listening intently .