midnight
The East-Siders hated the West-Siders , and thrashed them when they got a chance ; and the West-Siders , when fortune favored them , returned the compliment with interest . It required considerable courage for a boy to venture , unattended by comrades , into the territory of the enemy ; and no one took the risk unless dire necessity compelled him . The hostile parties had played at war so long that they had forgotten that it was play ; and now were actually inspired with the emotions which they had formerly simulated . Under the leadership of their chieftains , Halvor Reitan and Viggo Hook , they held councils of war , sent out scouts , planned midnight surprises , and fought at times mimic battles . I say mimic battles , because no one was ever killed ; but broken heads and bruised limbs many a one carried home from these engagements , and unhappily one boy , named Peer Oestmo , had an eye put out by an arrow . It was a great consolation to him that he became a hero to all the West-Siders and was promoted for bravery in the field to the rank of first lieutenant . He had the sympathy of all his companions in arms and got innumerable bites of apples , cancelled postage stamps , and colored advertising-labels in token of their esteem .