three o'clock in the morning
After all , it is as easy in a crisis to pick a friend from among strangers as from among friends . _ The Man Who Knew _ There are several members of the New York police force who think they know their Chinatown ; there are several slum workers who think they do ; there are many ugly guides , real guides , who think they do , but Beefy Saul , ex-newspaper man , ex-United States Chinese immigration inspector , and finally of the Secret Service , really does . This is because Beefy Saul knows not only the bad , but the good Chinamen ; because he knows not only the ins and outs of Chinatown , but the ins and outs of New York ; because he knows not only the wiles and weaknesses of Chinamen , the wiles and weaknesses of ugly souled guides -LRB- and of slum workers -RRB- , but best of all , because he knows the several members of the New York police department who think they know their Chinatown . But like men who know less , Beefy Saul enjoys his sleep and naturally objects to being roused at three o'clock in the morning , even though in the east the silver is showing through the black , as Donaldson pointed out , like the eyes of a certain lady when she smiles -LRB- as Donaldson did not point out -RRB- . Beefy came down in answer to the insistent bell which connected with his modest flat -- it ought to be called a suite , for the lower hall boasted only six speaking tubes -- and he swore like a pirate as he came . Finally the broad shoulders , which gave him his name , filled the door frame . `` I do n't give a tinker 's dam who you are , '' he growled before he had made out the features before him , `` it 's a blasted outrage !