noon before
He did not appear surprised when the Indians arrived . `` I heard you reading to the stranger , '' he said , `` but I was too weary to speak . '' As soon as breakfast was over , Alec was placed on the litter , and the Indians bore him along lightly and easily through the forest . It was past noon before the bank of the stream was reached . Here they launched two of their canoes , which together were sufficient to convey the whole party . Alec was placed in one , under charge of the chief , and Donald took his seat in the other . At night they camped on shore , when Donald read the Bible to his redskin friends , Alec being apparently an attentive listener .