Five minutes to eleven
Driving gaily along the street , between lines of spectators , came sleigh after sleigh , drawn by four , six , or even eight carefully matched and brightly decked horses , and filled to overflowing with the firemen and their fair friends , while bands of music played merry tunes , to which the horses seemed to step in time . Bert and Shorty had of course to stop and see this fine sight , and it chanced that when it was about one-half passed , one of the big eight horse teams got tangled up with a passing sleigh , and a scene of confusion ensued that took a good while to set right . When at length all was straightened out , and the procession of sleighs had passed , Shorty asked a gentleman to tell him the time . `` Five minutes to eleven , my lad , '' was the startling reply . Shorty looked significantly at Bert . `` Most too late now , do n't you think ? '' Bert hesitated .