eight o'clock
`` However do you guess it was done ? '' asked the tall chum . `` Well , there must have been a fourth member of the gang , who had his part of the game to play . Chances were he was to go into some place downtown where they have a public ` phone booth , at exactly eight o'clock , and call me up . The other three were to be hiding here before that time , waiting for me to cross over . And I must say it worked out to a charm -- only for the walking-stick , and you , Colon . They did n't figure on my receiving such important reinforcements at the eleventh hour , as to turn the tide of battle . ''