seven o'clock
`` At eight on the evening of the day that I was ordered to take my departure , my troop was leaving Melbourne on the road leading towards Ballarat , in which direction I learned the convicts were travelling . `` At two o'clock we halted at a cattle station ; and while some of our men changed saddles from our tired horses to fresh ones , the remainder cooked a kettle of coffee , and broiled a piece of beef , to stay our stomachs during our long ride . From the stockman we obtained some information , as the bushrangers had visited his cattle station two days before , selected what animals they wished , and then shot the companion of the man we were conversing with . `` At seven o'clock we again halted at a cattle station , but for ten minutes we could not find a soul to answer our questions . We searched the hut and an adjoining piece of woods , in hope of finding somebody who would give us a little information . As time was precious , however , I was on the point of borrowing what animals I wanted , when two of my men brought in a native , half dead with fear . He had been found secreted under some brush in the woods , and all our persuasions could hardly convince him that his life was not in danger .