midnight
Dyke sat watching for a time , and then , finding that Emson was getting cooler and cooler , and the sleep apparently more natural and right , he began to think of his plans for the evening . He was determined to keep awake this time , and to do this he felt that he must have company . The Kaffirs were hardly likely to come by night , he felt , and so he would not leave the dog to watch , but going out , called him down out of the wagon , tied down the canvas curtains back and front , fed the dog well , and stood at the door waiting until the faithful beast had finished , watching the while . Then once more he noticed the peculiar light at the back of the kopje , looking as if the moon were rising , though that could not be , for there was no moon visible till long after midnight . But Dyke was too weary to study a question of light or shadow , and as soon as Duke had finished he called the dog in , closed the door , did what he could to make poor Emson comfortable , and sat down to pass the night watching . But nature said again that he should pass it sleeping , and in a few minutes , after fighting hard against the sensation of intense drowsiness , he dropped off fast as on the previous night , but started into wakefulness in the intense darkness , and sat up listening to the low growling of the dog , and a terrible bellowing which came from the pens , where the cattle should be , if they had returned after their many hours ' liberty . Returned they had for certain , and one of the great , placid beasts was evidently in a state of agony and fear , while a rushing sound of hoofs close to where the wagon stood , suggested that the horses and bullocks had taken flight .