noon
That night , sure enough , Charlie was glad that he had kept the big fires blazing high , for herds crowded about in vain endeavors to get at the water-hole , even pressing up to the thorn zareba , until the boy had to scatter burning brands among the quantities of eland and antelope and zebra , not wishing to shoot them . Two of the steel traps caught , however ; one a slinking jackal and the other a fine oryx , both of which Charlie reluctantly shot with the small rifle belonging to the doctor . In the morning Amir Ali reported that lions had been about , but they had made no disturbance , and the safari took up its advance soon after sun-up . At the noon halt they were still winding through the valley , but in the afternoon this opened out into open country once more . Jack had his glasses out and gave a yell of delight . `` There 's the lake ! Dead ahead ! ''