one o'clock
It was still snowing on Thursday morning , and there were some who said that war might now be declared ; and Jock Howieson , ever a daring and rash spirit , declared we should repent it if we were not ready against one o'clock . Speug and Dunc were however of opinion that nothing was likely to take place that day except desultory skirmishes , and that the whole day ought to be spent in accumulating a store of snowballs against Friday , when there was no question that we should have to face the united schools in a decisive battle . This was the only instance where our captains ever made a mistake , and they atoned for their error of judgment by the valour and skill with which they retrieved what seemed a hopeless defeat . As the hours wore on to one o'clock Speug could be seen glancing anxiously out at the window , and he secured an opportunity with Dunc for a hasty conference during the geometry lesson . About a quarter to one he turned from his slate and cocked his ear , and in two minutes afterwards every boy in Bulldog 's class-room understood that the war had begun and that we had been taken by surprise . Scouts from McIntyre 's , as we afterwards learned , had risked the danger of playing truant , which in a school like theirs cost nothing , and had visited our playground . They had carried back news that we were not yet prepared for battle , and our firm opinion was that the authorities of Penny 's and McIntyre 's had allowed their schools out at half-past twelve , in order to take us at a disadvantage .