three o'clock
He was saved from it by one or two kindly and genial friendships ; by success in other lines , and by the happy consciousness that his presence at Saint Winifred 's was a help and comfort to some who needed such assistance with sore need . One afternoon he was sitting disconsolately on a bench which ran along a blank wall on one side of the court , doing absolutely nothing . He was too disgusted with the world and with himself even to take up a novel . It was three o'clock , and the court was deserted for the playground , as a match had been announced that afternoon between the sixth-form and the school , at which all but a very few -LRB- who never did anything but loaf about -RRB- , were either playing or looking on . To sit with his head bent down , on a bench in an empty court doing nothing while a game was going on , was very unlike the Walter Evson of six weeks before ; but at that moment Walter was weary of detention , which was just over ; he was burdened with punishments , he was half sick for want of exercise , and he was too much out of spirits to do anything . Kenrick and Henderson had noticed and lamented the change in him . Not exactly knowing the causes of his ill-success , they were astonished to find so apparently clever a boy taking his place among the sluggards and dunces .