noon
As we have n't a sled , it would be awkward to carry you to the factory . '' They let him go ; but when he reached the open his face hardened . The sky had a threatening look , the snow was soft , and there were wolves about ; but he was comparatively safe while daylight lasted , and food must be found . During the morning he saw wolf tracks , but no sign of a deer , and at noon he sat down for a few minutes in a sheltered hollow and managed to light the half-frozen pipe he kept in an inner pocket . He had brought nothing to eat , for they had decided that it would be prudent to dispense with a midday meal . Getting stiffly on his feet , after he had smoked a while , he plodded from bluff to bluff throughout the afternoon . For the most part , they were thin and the trees very small , while the country between them seemed to be covered with slabs of rocks and stones .