four o'clock in the afternoon
At two o'clock they entered a dense forest , which they had to traverse for some miles . The guide preferred to travel in the shade of the woods . So far at any rate they had encountered nothing unpleasant , and there was every reason to suppose that the journey would be accomplished without accident , when the elephant , after a few premonitory symptoms , stopped suddenly . It was then four o'clock in the afternoon . `` What is the matter ? '' asked Sir Francis Cromarty , putting his head up over the top of his howdah . `` I do n't know , sir , '' replied the Parsee , listening intently to a confused murmuring sound which came through the thickly-interlacing branches .