five o'clock
It must have been the heat , he muttered , that caused his tongue to utter such folly . And , indeed , the excuse might serve , for the hot hours dragged most wearily , and the sun circled ever towards the hills , yet there came no sign of Hussain . Royson , was divided between his promise to Irene not to incur any avoidable risk and his natural wish to obtain the information so eagerly awaited in the camp . Though he meant to begin the return journey at sunset , here was five o'clock , and he no wiser than yesterday at the same hour . At last , inaction grew irksome . He helped Abdur Kad ' r to saddle the camels , and they mounted , with intent to climb the northerly ridge , and thus survey the road which Hussain must pursue if he managed to get away from Italian surveillance before nightfall . They proceeded warily .