noon
So the wolves said , when they supped of their old grandsire instead of me . Having also enjoyed a warm breakfast , I shouldered my rifle and pushed on as fast as my legs could carry me to overtake my friends . I was extremely anxious to get up with them before they descended into the plains ; for as I supposed that the snow would be melting there , I knew that I might have great difficulty in following their traces . I pushed on till noon , and then stopped but ten minutes to dine , or rather to rest and chew a bit of bear 's flesh . That done , on again I went as fast as before . I did not at all like the notion of having to camp out by myself , for I was so sleepy that I fancied I might be torn limb from limb by wolves or a bear without awaking ; and certainly I might have been frozen to death . The evening came , the sun set , and though I was on the track of my friends , I could see nothing of them .