noon
He said he had told the foreman that he was the contractor 's brother and had been sent with this new order and the foreman had naturally believed it , Ben looking like a rich contractor himself . And there they was at work , busy as beavers , gouging up the very last remnant of little old New York when it was that . Ben rubbed his hands in ecstasy and pranced up and down watching 'em for awhile . Then he went over and told the foreman there 'd be extra pay for all hands if they got a whole block tore up by noon , because this was a rush job . Hundreds of people was passing , mind you , including a policeman now and then , but no one took any notice of a sight so usual . All the same the rest of us edged north about half a block , ready to make a quick getaway . Ben kept telling us we was foolishly scared .