nine o'clock
There were six of us on the train -- namely , the engineer and stoker on the locomotive ; while following were the conductor , a brakeman at each end of the car , and the pastor of a heap of ashes on Schermerhorn street , Brooklyn . `` When shall we get to Dayton ? '' we asked . `` Half-past nine o'clock ! '' responded the conductor . `` Absurd ! '' we said ; `` no audience will wait till half-past nine at night for a lecturer . ''