quarter to
four
The end of the alley was blocked by a one-story brick building , out of which issued the rhythmic thunder of the presses , running off the first edition of the Enquirer . He was eleven , and Cheese-Face was thirteen , and they both carried the Enquirer . That was why they were there , waiting for their papers . And , of course , Cheese-Face had picked on him again , and there was another fight that was indeterminate , because at quarter to four the door of the press-room was thrown open and the gang of boys crowded in to fold their papers . `` I 'll lick you to-morrow , '' he heard Cheese-Face promise ; and he heard his own voice , piping and trembling with unshed tears , agreeing to be there on the morrow . And he had come there the next day , hurrying from school to be there first , and beating Cheese-Face by two minutes . The other boys said he was all right , and gave him advice , pointing out his faults as a scrapper and promising him victory if he carried out their instructions .