noon
Its mother stood by during the proceeding and regarded the fraternising with her calf dubiously . Not until dawn on the following day did the herd resume its onward movement . Dermot was awake even before Badshah 's trunk touched his face to arouse him , and as soon as he was mounted the march began again . The route lay through the new mountain range ; and all day , except for a couple of hours ' halt at noon , the long line wound up a confusing jumble of ravines and passes . When night fell a plateau covered with tall deodar trees had been reached , and here the elephants rested . Daybreak on the third morning found Badshah leading the line through a still more bewildering maze of narrow defiles and a forest with such dense foliage that , when the sun was high in the heavens , its rays scarcely lightened the gloom between the tree-trunks . Dermot wondered how Badshah found his way , for there was no sign of a track , but the elephant moved on steadily and with an air of assured purpose .