ten o'clock before
In spite of this knowledge , his heart beat high , as his father 's had done in London , and as he spurred his horse onwards through the darkness , he was hardly able to refrain from shouting and whooping in his exultation . The track from Kimberley to Dutoitspan was a rough one , but the moon was up , and the young merchant found no difficulty in following it . When he reached the summit of the low hill over which the road ran , he saw the lights of the little town sparkling in the valley beneath him . It was ten o'clock before he galloped into the main street , and he saw at a glance that the news had , as he expected , arrived before him . In front of the Griqualand Saloon a great crowd of miners had assembled , who were talking excitedly among themselves . The light of the torches shone down upon herculean figures , glaring shirts , and earnest bearded faces . The whole camp appeared to have assembled there to discuss the situation , and it was evident from their anxious countenances and subdued voices , that they took no light view of it .