twelve
o'clock
The night of October 16th I spend at Raffles 's apartments . He was as calm as though nothing unusual were on hand . He sang songs , played the piano , and up to midnight was as gay and skittish as a school-boy on vacation . As twelve o'clock struck , however , he sobered down , put on his hat and coat , and , bidding me remain where I was , departed by means of the fire-escape . `` Keep up the talk , Jenkins , '' he said . `` The walls are thin here , and it 's just as well , in matters of this sort , that our neighbors should have the impression that I have _ not _ gone out . I 've filled the machine up with a choice lot of songs and small-talk to take care of my end of it .