nearly midnight
`` You know what I mean ; when a picture is shown of a person sitting by a fireside , say , and above him or her appears a vision of other days . '' `` Oh , yes , we can tell you how that is done , '' Joe said , and the rest of the evening was spent in technical talk . `` Well , what were you going to say about that collision ? '' asked Joe of Blake when Mr. Alcando had left them , at nearly midnight . `` I do n't think it 's exactly safe to say what I think , '' was Blake 's response . `` I think he is -- suspicious of us , '' he finished in a whisper . `` Let 's watch and await developments . ''