twelve o'clock sharp
`` No , it 's a high-grade ore , '' returned Ballantree with some positiveness ; `` that is , it was when we got down into it . But I 'm not here to talk about percentage -- that may come in later . I came to save Mr. Guthrie 's time . I was to bring you down to see him if you were the man and everything was clean , and if you 'll go -- and I would n't advise you to stay away -- I 'll meet you at his office at twelve o'clock sharp ; there 's his card . It is n't more than four blocks from here . '' Jack took the card , looked on both sides of it , tucked it in his inside pocket , and said he would come , with pleasure . Ballantree nodded contentedly , pulled a cigar from his upper breast pocket , bit off one end , slid a match along his trousers until it burst into flame , held it to the unbitten end until it was a-light , blew out the blaze , adjusted his derby and with another nod to Jack -- and the magic words -- `` Twelve sharp '' -- passed out into Broadway .