about a quarter to three
Here he was , treatin ' me white and square , and I 'd been handin ' him a piece of fresh bunk . `` Mr. Robert , '' says I , standin ' pigeontoed and flushin ' up some , `` you remember that message from the bridge people -- Trimble , it was signed ? '' `` Oh , yes , '' says he . `` He came , all right , about a quarter to three . '' `` Gee ! '' says I , and walks out . For when things start comin ' your way in clusters like that , what 's the use tryin ' to duck ?