three o'clock
Then we shall be doomed to starvation ! '' He thought that with the aid of his glass he would be able to follow Fred as he stole down the side of the valley , since the position of the spectator was much more elevated than that of the antelope . It would require sharp scrutiny even with the aid of the instrument to do this , and , look as keenly as he might , he could discover nothing that suggested anything of that nature . When three o'clock went by without any evidence of alarm among the animals browsing in the middle of the valley , Jack Dudley began to wonder what it could mean . `` Fred was sure that a single hour was enough to place himself on the further side of them , and double that time has passed . He ought to be well down the slope , but I can see nothing of him . '' One fact , however , was apparent : the antelope were steadily though slowly working toward the ridge on which the young man lay .