About twelve o'clock
The Russians , obviously afraid lest the enemy should attempt another sortie , also remained on the defensive . For four hours they continued in this condition , `` during which period the battle raged , '' it was said , `` with the utmost fury , '' but it is also admitted that very little damage was done to either side , `` for both armies were under cover ! '' In other words , the belligerents remained for four hours in the condition of a couple of angry costermongers , hooting and howling at each other without coming to blows , while shot and shell and powder and lead were being expended for nothing , at a rate which added thousands sterling to the burdens of the peace-loving members of both countries ! `` About twelve o'clock , '' according to an eye-witness , `` the firing began to diminish on both sides , as if by mutual agreement . '' I have a very thorough appreciation of this idea of `` mutual agreement . '' It is well known among schoolboys . When two of these specimens of the rising generation have been smashing each other 's faces , blackening each other 's eyes , and bleeding each other 's noses for three-quarters of an hour , without having decided a victory , they both feel a strong desire to stop , are ready to `` give in , '' and , on the smallest encouragement from `` seconds , '' will shake hands .