nearly noon
His course was now nearly south-east , and just as the day was breaking he stopped and said : `` There is the river at last . Now let 's go to sleep . '' They obeyed him unquestioningly , though they had not the faintest idea where they were or what river it was which he had seen a little way ahead . When Sam waked it was nearly noon , and he ate a little of the palmetto cabbage left in his pockets , while the others slept . His face was very pale , however , and he sat very still until his companions aroused themselves . Then he explained . `` When I found that we could not get to Fort Glass , the question was , where should we go ?