the hours after noon
The breeze had freshened to a gale and under the trees the temperature was quite bearable . The Resident had already gone out of sight over the rim of the basin , having exhausted the neighbourhood of the tank and being desirous of searching farther afield . Wargrave and Raymond now followed him but soon separated , the latter making for the cultivation again , while his friend set off for the open plain . Ordinarily the heat would have been intense , for the hours after noon up to three o'clock or later are the hottest of the day in India ; but the gale made it quite cool . To Wargrave , tramping about unsuccessfully this time , came frequently the sound of Raymond 's gun . `` Ray seems to be having all the luck , '' he thought , as through his field-glasses he scanned the plain without seeing anything . `` I 'm getting fed up . ''