and five o'clock
Making due allowance for Lary 's notorious veracity , and for Jemmy Flowers ' religious inebriety , still the circumstance of a mushroom , and that a large one , flourishing on the Brocas , must ever throw a strong air of improbability over this assertion . There is a holiday on every red-lettered saint 's - day in the calendar ; when this , or no other excuse occurs , it is termed `` a regular week , '' when Tuesday is a whole holiday , Thursday half an one , and Saturday three-quarters . The longest period of time a boy uninterruptedly enjoys to himself may be said to comprise two hours , commencing each time at twelve , four , and six o'clock , on whole and half holidays ; and these periods are designated by the never-to-be-forgotten sounds of `` after twelve , '' `` after four , '' and `` after six . '' `` Whole school days '' affect this arrangement but little , the difference being , that on holidays , they are separated from each other , by attendance on absence , and church ; and on whole school-days , by school-times , of which there are four , commencing each at eight , eleven , three , and five o'clock . The boys learn all their lessons , and do their exercises , in their own rooms , going into school to say or construe them . One school-time occupies about three-quarters of an hour . The whole school is divided into six forms , of which the sixth ranks the highest .