about one o’clock in the afternoon
Ralph looked , and far away upon the plain saw what seemed to be a white cloud , above which towered the flat cliffs of a mountain of red rock . `` See , Baas , '' he said , `` yonder is Umpondwana , my home , and now by nightfall I shall know whether my parents are still alive , or , if they are dead , whether they have left any cattle that I can claim by law , '' and he began to whistle cheerfully . `` And I , '' said Ralph aloud , `` shall know whether my life is to be a heaven or a hell , '' and all day long , neither eating nor drinking , he sat upon the waggon-box and stared at the mountain , not lifting his eyes from it . It was about one o'clock in the afternoon when we seemed to be quite close to the green flanks of Umpondwana , that of a sudden we cut a wide spoor trampled by thousands of naked feet . Jan and Gaasha got off the waggon to examine it , but Ralph did not move . `` An impi has passed here , '' said Jan presently . `` Yes , and a Zulu impi as I think , Baas , but more than one whole day ago , '' and Gaasha began to hunt about amongst some low bushes which grew near the trail .