midnight
The first few skirmishing parties from Cow Flat were composed of women and boys , and an undisciplined and rash pursuit of goats followed each visit . The nannies and billies , under stress of the new excitement , ran suddenly wild and developed a fleetness of foot , an expertness in climbing , and powers of endurance hitherto all unsuspected by their owners ; so very few animals were recovered by the visitors . The hunt was continued throughout the next day . Goats were rushing wildly about the place from morning till midnight pursued by their wrathful owners , to the detriment of the peace of Waddy and the undoing of the tractable local milkers ; and at last a great resentment took possession of the matrons of the township -- there were counter-attacks among the houses , rescue parties beset the women carrying off prizes , and a few skirmishes happened on the flat . Now the men were induced to take a hand , and there was talk of battle and pillage and sudden death . Devoy , pugnacious and vengeful , provoked the first serious struggle . Discovering a man of Cow Flat who claimed a small family of aggressive brown goats which he had marked out as the vandals that had wrought ruin amongst his well-kept beds , Devoy bearded the stranger and spoke of damages and broken heads , and his small son , Danny , a young Australian with a piquant brogue and a born love of ructions , moved round and incited him to bloodshed .