midnight
I will pay the bill and the men for coming . '' Bruce arrived in town some time after dark , but though very tired and hungry he did not eat until he had started four good stout men after his comrades , whom they met some nine or ten miles out . Poor Ben West could go no further , for his foot was quite painful , and he and Lane both waited and watched for relief , which came at last . It was almost midnight when the relief party arrived . They brought a fine lunch and a bottle of wine , which both enjoyed very much . After the lunch was eaten all hands started for the town , where they arrived just as the day was breaking . The frozen foot proved to be worse than at first supposed to be .