five in the afternoon
Done recognised Alfred Lambert , a voice of the disaffected -- one of the little band of men who , animated with that ardent love of freedom which is bred of tyranny and fed on oppression , were ever busy fanning the embers of discontent , and striving to work the diggers up to the point at which it would be impossible for the Government to withhold from the vast majority of the people their liberties and civil rights . Lambert held up his hand to impose silence . ` I have a great bit of news , men , ' he said . ` The day before yesterday , at five in the afternoon , the M'Ivor escort was stuck up on the corduroy road in the Black Forest , and the gang got away with all the gold . ' This information was greeted with a yell of amazement , in which Jim thought he detected no little exultation . It was the greatest coup executed by the gangs since the opening of the goldfields ; its magnitude astounded everybody . ` The robbers came on the escort suddenly , shot their horses under them , and carried off the whole swag , ' Lambert continued .