ten o'clock
That night was a busy , happy time for the Ingrams . So much of ill-luck had come to the father , and so much of household drudging to the faithful mother , that work and sacrifice for the children had ploughed deep furrows across the faces of both Mr. and Mrs. Ingram . Opportunities for advancement now opening for their children , both parents found the heavy burdens growing lighter . Before sunrise George and May had packed two small trunks , by ten o'clock Gertrude and May had made necessary purchases , and the two o'clock express quickly bore the second contingent of the Harris family towards New York , which was reached the night before their steamer 's date of sailing . For some reason , perhaps because the elements of superstition still lurked in the mind of Colonel Harris , he decided not to stop any more at the Hotel Waldorf . It had brought him ill-luck , so his party was driven to the tall Hotel Plazza which overlooks the Central Park . Fortunately George had inherited a talent for untiring investigation and the power of close observation .