about
nine o'clock
When Sturk met Nutter , he , being of superior stature , looked over his head at distant objects : and when Nutter encountered Sturk , the little gentleman 's dark face grew instantaneously darker -- first a shade -- then another shadow -- then the blackness of thunder overspread it ; and not only did he speak not a word to Sturk , but seldom opened his lips , while that gentleman remained in the room . On the other hand , if some feuds grew blacker and fiercer by time , there were others which were Christianly condoned ; foremost among which was the mortal quarrel between Nutter and O'Flaherty . On the evening of their memorable meeting on the Fifteen Acres , Puddock dined out , and O'Flaherty was too much exhausted to take any steps toward a better understanding . But on the night following , when the club had their grand supper in King William 's parlour , it was arranged with Nutter that a gentlemanlike reconciliation was to take place ; and accordingly , about nine o'clock , at which time Nutter 's arrival was expected , Puddock , with the pomp and gravity becoming such an occasion , accompanied by O'Flaherty , big with his speech , entered the spacious parlour . When they came in there was a chorus of laughter ringing round , with a clapping of hands , and a Babel of hilarious applause ; and Tom Toole was seen in the centre , sitting upon the floor , hugging his knees , with his drawn sword under his arm , his eyes turned up to the ceiling , and a contortion so unspeakably ludicrous upon his queer little face , as was very near causing little Puddock to explode in an unseemly burst of laughter . Devereux , sitting near the door , luckily saw them as they entered , and announced them in a loud tone -- ` Lieutenant Puddock , gentlemen , and Lieutenant Fireworker O'Flaherty . ' For though Gipsy Devereux loved a bit of mischief , he did not relish it when quite so serious , as the Galwegian Fireworker was likely to make any sort of trifling on a point so tender as his recent hostilities on the Fifteen Acres .