midnight
There was animation at the Nocturnal Club at three o'clock in the morning . The city reporters who had been dropping in since midnight were now reinforced by telegraph editors , for the country editions of the big dailies were already being rushed in light wagons over the sounding stones to the railroad stations . The cheery and urbane African -- naturally called Delmonico by the habitués of the Nocturnal Club -- found his time crowded in serving bottled beer , sandwiches , or boiled eggs to the groups around the tables . To a large group in the back room Fetterson related how he had once missed the last car at the distant extremity of West Philadelphia , and , failing to find a cab west of Broad Street , had walked fifty blocks after midnight and had still succeeded in getting his report in the second edition and thus making a `` beat on the town . '' Then spoke up a needy outsider whom Fetterson had brought in at one o'clock . I neglected to mention Fetterson 's penchant for queer company . It is quite right that reporters know policemen , are on chaffing terms with night cabmen , and have large acquaintance with pugilists and even with `` crooks . ''