eight o'clock
At Johannesburg , he had manufactured an excuse for a long letter to Ethel who -- `` Show a leg there ! '' The sergeant 's voice at his ear called him back to the realities of life . He sat up as alertly as if he had slept upon eider-down . By eight o'clock , Weldon was out on the veldt , two miles from camp . Before him , a force of Yeomanry was guarding the two guns ; around him , a detail from his own squadron protected the flank on the right . And , still farther to the right , a cloud of yellowish smoke rose skyward across the yellower sunshine . Then , of a sudden , out from the heart of the wall of smoke came a muffled thud and roar , confused at first , growing strident and more detached until , sweeping from the haze of smoke , five score Boer horsemen rode in a bolt-like rush , fierce and uncheckable .