about midnight
This it did that afternoon and the waters went out with a mighty roar , no doubt carrying devastation down through the valley . This made it possible for them to leave their refuge , but they did not dare do so at once for the thaw had continued all that day and it would have been impossible for the dogs to make any headway . `` After careful deliberation , the father and son determined to make their way if possible down the river about twelve miles to an old lumber camp . They started about midnight to take advantage of the frost that had put a hard surface on the snow . The dogs went along finely for they were not too heavy for the crust on the snow . Time after time , the two men broke through , frequently going up to their hips in water . They kept going and by dawn they had covered about half the distance .