Nearly
midnight
Nearly midnight already ! It was even later than he had thought . Larry the Bat pressed his face against a shop 's windowpane on the Bowery for a glance at a clock that had caught his eye on the wall within . Nearly midnight ! He slouched on again hurriedly , still debating in his mind , as he had been debating it all the way from the Tocsin 's , the question of returning again to the Sanctuary . So far , the way both to Spider Jack 's and the Sanctuary had been in the same direction -- but the Sanctuary was on the next street . Jimmie Dale reached the corner -- and hesitated .