about nine o'clock
We must take all precautionary measures , for I do not know how many rascals we shall have to contend with , and that cave is like a rabbit-warren . Expect me as a Fakir at dusk . I will send for you when the time comes , '' and as Burton clattered away on his horse the camp understood that he had been called to headquarters on important business . It was about nine o'clock and very dark when Burton , with a number of his men , though not in uniform , were sitting under the bushes a couple of hundred yards or so from the cave entrance . `` Ali Khan , go and meet the party from the camp and see that they make as little noise as possible , '' said Burton to one of his men ; and then to another he said , `` Sergeant , come with me ; we must find out whether there is a guard placed at the entrance ; if there is , we must secure him . '' The two crept stealthily along , and , when some twenty yards from the cave , a man sprang up within a few feet of them and dashed off towards the cave , but he had not taken many steps when he tripped , and before he could recover himself Burton pounced upon him , and in a few moments the man was gagged and bound . By the time the Doctor and Tom with the rest of the men had arrived , Burton had explored the cave as far as the rope-ladder without any further encounter .