midnight
They were a droll , strange , fierce-looking crowd . There were n't many women at first , but they came pretty thick after a bit . A couple of theatres were open , a circus , hotels with lots of plate-glass windows and splendid bars , all lighted up , and the front of them , anyhow , as handsome at first sight as Sydney or Melbourne . Drapers and grocers , ironmongers , general stores , butchers and bakers , all kept open until midnight , and every place was lighted up as clear as day . It was like a fairy-story place , Jim said ; he was as pleased as a child with the glitter and show and strangeness of it all . Nobody was poor , everybody was well dressed , and had money to spend , from the children upwards . Liquor seemed running from morning to night , as if there were creeks of it ; all the same there was very little drunkenness and quarrelling .