half past five
That afternoon I was detained very late at the office . I intended beginning a three weeks ' holiday next morning , and was trying to get beforehand with my work . My senior was out of town , and Thomas and I had been very busy since three o'clock -- I writing , he copying the letters . After five , we had the building pretty much to ourselves , and a little after half past five , the fire alarm sounded . The City Hall bell was very distinctly heard , and Thomas -- who had finished his work and was waiting to take some papers to the office of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad for me -- took down a list of the different stations , to ascertain the whereabouts of the fire . `` 1 -- 5 , '' he counted , as the strokes fell ; `` that makes fifteen , and that is , '' passing his finger slowly down the card , `` that is Eastun Po-lice station , cawneh -- naw , _ on _ Bank Street . On Bank Street , seh . ''