two
o'clock
You used it on October 26 , 1900 , during , as you will recall , the closing days of the presidential campaign . '' The Colonel stared at him , bewildered . `` I decided to learn editorial-writing -- as the term is understood , '' Queed reluctantly explained . `` Therefore , I have been sitting up till two o'clock in the mornings , studying the files of the _ Post _ , to see exactly how you did it . '' The Colonel 's gaze gradually softened . `` You might have been worse employed ; I compliment and congratulate you , '' said he ; and then added : `` Whether you have really caught the idea and mastered the technique or not , it is too soon to say . But I 'll say frankly that this article is worth more to me than everything else that you 've written for the _ Post _ put together . ''