twelve o'clock
Mather suffered himself to be dissuaded from carrying his threat into execution , the rather that in his heart of hearts he was not assured that the course would have been a wise one . Ned had never fought in the school , but Tompkins ' account of his fight on the moor with Bill Swinton , and the courage he had shown in taking upon himself the office of spokesman in the rebellion against Hathorn , had given him a very high reputation among the boys ; and in spite of Mather 's greater age and weight there were many who thought that Ned Sankey would make a tough fight of it with the cock of the school . So the gathering broke up and the boys set to at their games , which were played with a heartiness and zest all the greater that none of them were in pain from recent punishment , and that they could look forward to the afternoon without fear and trembling . When at twelve o'clock the boys of the first class came out from school the others crowded round to hear the result of the morning 's lessons . They looked bright and pleased . `` I think he is going to turn out a brick , '' Ripon , the head of the first class , said . `` Of course one ca n't tell yet .