noon
I 'm a dead man , ' says Billy Fish , and he throws himself down on the snow and begins to pray to his Gods . `` Next morning we was in a cruel bad country -- all up and down , no level ground at all , and no food either . The six Bashkai men looked at Billy Fish hungry-wise as if they wanted to ask something , but they said never a word . At noon we came to the top of a flat mountain all covered with snow , and when we climbed up into it , behold , there was an Army in position waiting in the middle ! '' ` The runners have been very quick , ' says Billy Fish , with a little bit of a laugh . ` They are waiting for us . ' `` Three or four men began to fire from the enemy 's side , and a chance shot took Daniel in the calf of the leg .