midnight
Much as they sympathized with him , they could do nothing to relieve him , except to try to keep up the fire . This task caused them endless trouble . The high wind made it burn furiously fast , and the small branches they had gathered were licked up like magic . They had thought there was enough fuel for the night , but soon after midnight Fred and Peter were foraging about in the deep snow and the storm for a fresh supply . Toward morning their endurance broke down . They piled on all the rest of the wood , and went to sleep huddled up by the fire , reckless whether they froze or not . Fred was awakened from a painful and uneasy slumber by Peter 's shaking his arm .