eleven o'clock
After an hour 's ride , they overtook their servants ; who had gone on ahead , with the guns and luncheon . The sun was but just above the horizon , and the morning air was cool and pleasant . Dismounting , they handed over the ponies to the servants and , taking the guns and ammunition , set out on foot . The servants were to go on , with the ponies and lunch , to a village in the hills , four miles distant ; and to get tiffin ready , by eleven o'clock . The young officers set out on foot , keeping a short distance apart . Two of their servants accompanied them , to carry the game ; the other three went with the two Syces , who looked after the ponies The ground was broken and stony , and altogether uncultivated , except in the neighborhood of the villages . They had better sport than they expected , for hares darted out in numbers from behind the rocks .