five o'clock
I say : that punch with the left ! Oh my ! '' Those were busy times at Meade Place , for Mr Hasnip worked me hard ; Mr Rebble harassed me a little whenever he had a chance ; and every now and then the Doctor made a sudden unexpected attack upon me with questions uttered in the severest of tones . All this meant long hours of what the masters called `` private study '' and the boys `` private worry ; '' while in addition there were the lessons we inflicted upon ourselves , for we never once failed of being at the lodge by five o'clock on those summer mornings , to be scolded , punched , and generally knocked about by our instructor . Join to these , other lessons in the art of skinning and preserving birds , given by Mercer up in the loft ; compulsory games at cricket , as they were called , but which were really hours of toil , fielding for Burr major , Hodson , and Dicksee ; sundry expeditions after specimens , visits to Bob Hopley , bathing , fishing , and excursions and incursions generally , and it will be seen that neither Mercer nor I had much spare time . A busy life is after all the happiest , and , though my lessons often worried and puzzled me , I was perfectly content , and my friendly relations with Mercer rapidly grew more firm . `` I say , '' he cried one morning , after Lomax had grumbled at us a little less than usual respecting our execution of several of the bits of guarding and hitting he put us through -- `` I say , do n't you think we are perfect yet ? ''