a quarter before nine
Nearly twenty thousand pounds had been expended , and Fogg left the hull and engine to the captain , that is , near the whole value of the craft ! It was true , however , that fifty-five thousand pounds had been stolen from the Bank . When Andrew Speedy had pocketed the money , Mr. Fogg said to him , `` Do n't let this astonish you , sir . You must know that I shall lose twenty thousand pounds , unless I arrive in London by a quarter before nine on the evening of the 21st of December . I missed the steamer at New York , and as you refused to take me to Liverpool -- '' `` And I did well ! '' cried Andrew Speedy ; `` for I have gained at least forty thousand dollars by it ! '' He added , more sedately , `` Do you know one thing , Captain -- '' `` Fogg . ''