a
quarter to five
The door opened behind Tom and a telegraph official looked in . `` One , two , '' he counted , `` two are there , '' and then he closed the door again . Downstairs in the street a motor-cycle hurried past puffing and rattling , the rider 's figure looking like a gigantic elusive shadow through the fog . Tom started to walk up and down again as the clock in the hall struck a quarter to five . A bell rung in the next room . Steps were heard coming up the stairs and a colleague of the other two came in , swearing at the fog . He passed Johnny , poured out some of the latter 's tea for himself and drank it , meanwhile looking at the sleeper inquiringly .