about four o'clock in the afternoon
Bobitu 's fellows , and the bush rangers , will be quite enough to tackle at once . As for the others , we will make short work of them , if they venture to attack us on the march back . They fight pluckily enough against men on foot , because they know they can make off when they like ; but they ca n't stand a charge of horsemen . '' Although not so long as the journey on the preceding day , the men were heartily glad when , at about four o'clock in the afternoon , the halt was called , and they heard that the place where the bush rangers were supposed to be was but four miles away . After some consultation , it was decided that Jim should lead half the band -- consisting of ten constables under O'Connor , and fifteen colonists -- round through the hills , to a position near the mouth of the valley in which the blacks and bush rangers were likely to be ; and that , when he had posted them there , he should come back again to their present halting place , and lead forward the party under Reuben . `` Mind , '' Reuben said , before the others started , `` we do n't want to attack the blacks , unless they show fight . Our object is the bush rangers .