four o'clock
Bartley 's ardor for a salaried position amused him , and he often tried to argue him out of it . `` You 're much better off as a free lance . You make as much money as most of the fellows in places , and you lead a pleasanter life . If you were on any one paper , you 'd have to be on duty about fifteen hours out of the twenty-four ; you 'd be out every night till three or four o'clock ; you 'd have to do fires , and murders , and all sorts of police business ; and now you work mostly on fancy jobs , -- something you suggest yourself , or something you 're specially asked to do . That 's a kind of a compliment , and it gives you scope . '' Nevertheless , if Bartley had his heart set upon a basis , Ricker wanted him to have it . `` Of course , '' he said , `` I was only joking about the basis .