a quarter to
three
Here Phil Evans noticed that day was beginning to break . A gleam , still faint , filtered through the narrow window opposite the door . It ought thus to be about four o'clock in the morning for it is at that hour in the month of June in this latitude that the horizon of Philadelphia is tinged by the first rays of the dawn . But when Uncle Prudent sounded his repeater -- which was a masterpiece from his colleague 's factory -- the tiny gong only gave a quarter to three , and the watch had not stopped . `` That is strange ! '' said Phil Evans . `` At a quarter to three it ought still to be night . ''