What does this simple rebus mean?

My first is in chocolate but not in ham. My second is in cake and also in jam. My third at tea time is easily found. Altogether, this is a friend who is often around. What is it?

Joseph organises an exotic office New year party at the beach to his important fellow employees.

Following are the important people that will come to the party

1. Joseph

2. Joseph 2 girlfriends- Carol Vanstone and Tracey Hughes

3. The sales head Clay Vanstone.

4. Clay Vanstone 2 associates.

5. Mr. Jeremy and his Secret Tab.

They all need to cross a small river to reach the beach, however, Joseph has got just one boat.

There are few rules for crossing the river.

1. The capacity of the boat is limited to just two people.

2. Clay Vanstone associates will not stay with Joseph without Clay Vanstone.

3. Carol Vanstone and Tracey Hughes will not stay with the Clay Vanstone without Joseph.

4. Mr. Jeremy would never leave the Secret Tab alone.

5. Secret Tab counts as a person.

6. Only Joseph, Clay Vanstone or Mr. Jeremy can drive the boat.

7. The two girlfriends Carol Vanstone and Tracey Hughes will not stay with the Clay Vanstone without Joseph.

8. No Associates would stay with Joseph without their Clay Vanstone.

9. Mr.Jeremy will not leave the Secret Tab alone.

Where do fish keep their money?

Trying to tease Birbal, Akbar gave him one gold coin and ask him to buy
* something for him to eat
* something for him to drink.
* something to feed the cows
* something to plant in the garden
and most important you need to buy only one thing.

What must Birbal buy to silence Akbar?

What brings you down but never up?

These types of puzzles are known as charades. What you have to do is find two words that are referred to in the first stanza and the second stanza and put them together to form the third word in the third stanza.

Just for example, if my first refers to 'off' and my second refers to 'ice', then my whole will be office.

My first is present - future's past -
A time in which your lot is cast.

My second is my first of space
Defining people's present place.

My whole describes a lack of site -
A place without length, breadth, or height.

You have a roll of cloth 1km long. You have a machine which cuts this roll into pieces of 10-meter-long cloth.

How long would it take for the machine to cut the roll if each cut took 4 secs?

Find out the missing number in the picture attached:

Things are just as they seem, right? Well, check again.
Can you count the number of tigers in this picture ?