about four o'clock in the afternoon
`` I had warned you , '' said Harris , when the novice returned to take his place . Those antelopes were so light of foot , that it had been truly impossible to distinguish them ; but it was not so with another troop of animals which was signaled the same day . Those could be seen -- imperfectly , it is true -- but their apparition led to a rather singular discussion between Harris and some of his companions . The little troop , about four o'clock in the afternoon , had stopped for a moment near an opening in the woods , when three or four animals of great height went out of a thicket a hundred steps off , and scampered away at once with remarkable speed . In spite of the American 's recommendations , this time the novice , having quickly shouldered his gun , fired at one of these animals . But at the moment when the charge was going off , the weapon had been rapidly turned aside by Harris , and Dick Sand , skilful as he was , had missed his aim . `` No firing ; no firing ! ''