nine o'clock
The only boys who betrayed any symptoms of nervousness or uneasiness -LRB- all were excited , of course -RRB- were those who had joined Egerton and Warburton in their assault on Harry the previous night . These looked guilty ; but their ringleaders preserved the utmost coolness and indifference ; and a casual observer , if asked , would have said , `` Well , if there are two boys more than any others who certainly have nothing to do with the whole affair , those two are Egerton and Warburton . '' So much for guilt , and the mask it can so well assume . Before the nine o'clock bell had ceased ringing , every boy was in his place in the big school-room -- a rare occurrence , indeed -- waiting eagerly for the appearance of the Doctor . For boys like nothing better than a `` row '' when they themselves are not implicated . And remember , those who were so implicated were but an exceedingly small fraction of the whole number . What the guilty ones felt will best be known by those who have been in a similar position .