noon
They soon had to climb a very high and steep bent going up to a mountain-neck ; and the way over the neck was rough indeed when they were on it , and they toiled out of it into a barren valley , and out of the valley again on to a rough neck ; and such-like their journey the day long , for they were going athwart all those great dykes that went from the ice-mountains toward the lower dales like the outspread fingers of a hand or the roots of a great tree . And the ice-mountains they had on their left hands and whiles at their backs . They went very warily , with their bows bended and spear in hand , but saw no man , good or bad , and but few living things . At noon they rested in a valley where was a stream , but no grass , nought but stones and sand ; but where they were at least sheltered from the wind , which was mostly very great in these high wastes ; and there Bow-may drew meat and wine from a wallet she bore , and they ate and drank , and were merry enough ; and Bow-may said : ` I would I were going all the way with thee , Gold-mane ; for I long sore to let my eyes rest a while on the land where I shall one day live . ' ` Yea , ' said Face-of-god , ` art thou minded to dwell there ? We shall be glad of that . ' ` Whither are thy wits straying ? '