seven o'clock
The further news that Benson 's were going out again with their spare man at Three , coming upon the sensational story of the quarrel between Stroke and Seven , spread like wildfire through the school . Every boy who was at all interested in the Eights -- and who was not ? -- made a note of the matter , and promised himself that he would be there and see the fun for himself . When seven o'clock arrived , therefore , the tow-path in front of Benson 's boat-house was thronged with boys ; some there in a spirit of foreboding , to see how their own crew shaped after its heavy misfortune , some to rejoice at the evidence they expected to see of the impending discomfiture of a redoubtable foe , some to jeer generally , and others -- a few , but the more noisy -- in out-and-out hostility to the crew which had turned out from among its number their favourite , Montgomery . So great was the crowd that the crew had almost to push its way through the press , at close quarters with a medley of cheers and groans that did not do the nerves of some of them much good . The outing was a short one . Mr. Benson , who had coached the crew himself so far as his time permitted , did not put in an appearance , and Durend had the field to himself .