quarter to ten
I have forgotten all but the chorus , which ran , -- `` God save our good King William , Be his name for ever blest ; He 's the father of all his people , And the guardian of all the rest . '' In troth we were loyal subjects in those days , in a rough way . I trust that our successors make as much of her present Majesty , and , having regard to the greater refinement of the times , have adopted or written other songs equally hearty , but more civilized , in her honour . Then the quarter to ten struck , and the prayer-bell rang . The sixth and fifth form boys ranged themselves in their school order along the wall , on either side of the great fires , the middle-fifth and upper-school boys round the long table in the middle of the hall , and the lower-school boys round the upper part of the second long table , which ran down the side of the hall farthest from the fires . Here Tom found himself at the bottom of all , in a state of mind and body not at all fit for prayers , as he thought ; and so tried hard to make himself serious , but could n't , for the life of him , do anything but repeat in his head the choruses of some of the songs , and stare at all the boys opposite , wondering at the brilliancy of their waistcoats , and speculating what sort of fellows they were . The steps of the head-porter are heard on the stairs , and a light gleams at the door .