Noon
-- he had used me like a Hound any time for Six Months past ; and often had I given tongue under his Double Thonging . Happily the weather was warm , and I got no hurt by sleeping in the Hole . 'T is strange , too , what Hardships and Hazards of Climate and Excess we can bear in our Youth , whereas in middle life an extra Slice gives us a Surfeit , and another cup turns our Liver to Touchwood ; whilst in age -LRB- as I know to my sorrow -RRB- we dare scarcely venture our shoe in a Puddle for fear of the Chills and Sciatica . In the morning I laved my face in a Brook that hurtled hard by ; but waited very fearfully until Noon ere I dared venture forth from my covert . I had filled my pockets with Fruit and Bread -LRB- which I am afraid I did not come very honestly by , and indeed admit that Gnawbit 's Larder and Orchard found me in Provender -RRB- , and was so able to break my fast . And my Guinea , I remembered , was still unchanged . I had a dim kind of impression that I was bound to Charlwood Chase , to join the Blacks of whom the Old Gentleman had spoken , but I was not in any Hurry to get to my Goal .