noon
They ran the locomotive to the roundhouse . Ralph went at once to the foreman 's office , while Fogg attended to the stalling of No. 999 . He found the night watchman asleep there and no orders on the blackboard for Fogg or himself . This meant that they need not report before noon . Ralph looked around for the fireman when he came out of the office , but the latter had disappeared , probably headed for home . Ralph , half-across the turntable , halted and went over to No. 999 . `` The vest of that mysterious new acquaintance of mine , Clark -- Porter , '' said Ralph -- `` he said he left it in the locomotive . ''