three o'clock in the morning
And -- '' When they came to the ferry there was no time for debating the matter ; the crowd was pouring toward the last boat , and Gloria , her eyes bright with the joy of her escapade , went with him through the little gate where the tickets were presented for the last boat across the bay . It was unconventional , as she saw quite clearly . But to Gloria unconventionality was a condition fairly divided into two widely separated browsing-grounds ; there was the thing which was just `` daring '' ; there was that other which was ugly because it was `` compromising . '' This adventure promised to fall into the safer category ; to be off motoring with Mr. Gratton from three o'clock in the morning until late afternoon was what she considered a `` lark . '' They laughed together in anticipation as they crossed the bay . They sat where they could watch the red and green lights , reflected like topazes and rubies in the shimmering water , fall away and dwindle as the silhouette of the embarcadero receded . On the electric train they were whizzed among many sleepy folk into a sleeping town , Oakland , drowsing and silent .