midnight
Hour after hour they waited until the moon came up , and before them filed uncounted hundreds of animals . There were great droves of zebra , giraffes by the score , three or four rhinoceroses who plunged across the stream and vanished , herd after herd of gazelle , antelope , and wildebeest , and a magnificent drove of the cow-like eland . Lions abounded , but the other animals paid them no attention , nor did the great cats come for game ; they would appear , drink , and slink away , two or three even swimming across the stream . Toward midnight a number of oryx were seen , their long , black , sword-like horns mixed with a herd of zebra . So far not a shot had been fired , but without warning von Hofe raised his little sporting rifle and fired twice . Instantly the game was off , with a great clicking of hoofs and startled snorts . The explorer and the two boys at once picked out their animals and opened fire .