one
o’clock
Mr. Squeers said this , as if it had suddenly occurred to him , either that he must not say too much to his assistant , or that his assistant did not say enough to him in praise of the establishment . The children were arranged in a semicircle round the new master , and he was soon listening to their dull , drawling , hesitating recital of those stories of engrossing interest which are to be found in the more antiquated spelling-books . In this exciting occupation , the morning lagged heavily on . At one o'clock , the boys , having previously had their appetites thoroughly taken away by stir-about and potatoes , sat down in the kitchen to some hard salt beef , of which Nicholas was graciously permitted to take his portion to his own solitary desk , to eat it there in peace . After this , there was another hour of crouching in the schoolroom and shivering with cold , and then school began again . It was Mr. Squeer 's custom to call the boys together , and make a sort of report , after every half-yearly visit to the metropolis , regarding the relations and friends he had seen , the news he had heard , the letters he had brought down , the bills which had been paid , the accounts which had been left unpaid , and so forth . This solemn proceeding always took place in the afternoon of the day succeeding his return ; perhaps , because the boys acquired strength of mind from the suspense of the morning , or , possibly , because Mr. Squeers himself acquired greater sternness and inflexibility from certain warm potations in which he was wont to indulge after his early dinner .