An early car clanged toward him, but he waited in a dark spot until it had passed and then hurried on.

He passed an all-night taxi stand in front of a hotel, but he did not disturb the sleepy drivers.

So by walking every step of the way, he believed that he had reached the depot unnoticed, just when daylight was upon him with gray wreaths of fog.
By the depot clock it was five minutes to five.

A train was being called, and the sing-song chant informed him that it was bound for "Sa-anta Bar-bra--Sa-an Louis Oh bispo--Sa-linas--Sa-an 'Osay--Sa-an Fransisco, and a-a-ll points north!" Jack, with his rubber boots flapping on his back, took a run and a slide to the ticket window and bought a ticket for San Francisco, thinking rather feverishly of the various points north..