noon
When noon came , and they stopped a little while to refresh themselves with some of the food carried along in Thad 's haversack , Jim announced that they must be more than half way to their destination . Thad looked into the face of the guide frequently , wondering if Jim 's heart was beginning to fail him the closer he drew to the implacable giant who had uttered such ferocious threats against his new son-in-law ; but the only thing he did notice was a smile of supreme confidence whenever Jim happened to put up his hand to touch the breast of his coat , about the place where an inner pocket would be . And from this Thad understood that the other had the fullest confidence that the message he was bearing to Lina 's father , the olive branch he meant to extend to Old Cale , was sure to work as she had intended it should . It was about an hour and more , possibly two , after the noon halt , that Thad saw Jim come to a stop , and start to sniff the air suspiciously . `` What it it , Jim ? '' he asked , though he could give a pretty good guess even before the woods ' pilot uttered a word . `` I smells smoke , sure enuff , naow , '' replied Jim .