a quarter to
eight
The shop assistants in Philip 's room got a lot of amusement out of watching the manoeuvres of one man or another to stay behind , and they made small bets on which would succeed . At midnight the people were turned out of the Harrington Arms at the end of the street , and soon after they all went to bed : Bell , who slept nearest the door , made his way across the room by jumping from bed to bed , and even when he got to his own would not stop talking . At last everything was silent but for the steady snoring of the soldier , and Philip went to sleep . He was awaked at seven by the loud ringing of a bell , and by a quarter to eight they were all dressed and hurrying downstairs in their stockinged feet to pick out their boots . They laced them as they ran along to the shop in Oxford Street for breakfast . If they were a minute later than eight they got none , nor , once in , were they allowed out to get themselves anything to eat . Sometimes , if they knew they could not get into the building in time , they stopped at the little shop near their quarters and bought a couple of buns ; but this cost money , and most went without food till dinner .