noon
Pichou settled down to his work at a glorious pace . He seemed to know that he must do his best , and that something important depended on the quickness of his legs . On through the glittering solitude , on through the death-like silence , sped the COMETIQUE , between the interminable walls of the forest , past the mouths of nameless rivers , under the shadow of grim mountains . At noon Dan Scott boiled the kettle , and ate his bread and bacon . But there was nothing for the dogs , not even for Pichou ; for discipline is discipline , and the best of sledge-dogs will not run well after he has been fed . Then forward again , along the lifeless road , slowly over rapids , where the ice was rough and broken , swiftly over still waters , where the way was level , until they came to the foot of the last lake , and camped for the night . The Indians were but a few miles away , at the head of the lake , and it would be easy to reach them in the morning .