about five o'clock in the evening
And of this also he appeared to entertain no doubt , although there were people who still believed that either Russia or Japan would climb down and so avoid a fight . By the time that the train reached Dover we were `` as thick as thieves , '' for Nakamura 's perfect frankness and his geniality of manner quickly conquered my insular aloofness toward the foreigner ; and upon boarding the Channel steamer we at once went below and were busy with our luncheon almost before the boat had cast off from the pier . At Calais , Nakamura , who seemed to speak every language under the sun , took charge of my baggage as well as his own , and by some mysterious process , probably not altogether unconnected with `` backsheesh , '' managed to clear the whole through the Customs in about five minutes . Then he again `` squared '' the guard and secured our privacy as far as Paris , where we arrived about five o'clock in the evening . There was a train leaving for Marseilles at half-past seven , so we took a cab , drove across the city , and dined at the railway station in comfort before beginning the long night journey . Then , once more securing a compartment to ourselves , we settled down for our twelve hours ' run to the shore of the Mediterranean . I was very much amused at the naivete of some of my companion 's remarks .