nine at
night
`` Half-past nine o'clock ! '' responded the conductor . `` Absurd ! '' we said ; `` no audience will wait till half-past nine at night for a lecturer . '' Away we flew . The car , having such a light load , frisked and kicked , and made merry of a journey that to us was becoming very grave . Going round a sharp curve at break-neck speed , we felt inclined to suggest to the conductor that it would make no especial difference if we did not get to Dayton till a quarter to ten .