midnight before
`` Curiosity is a bad fault , Tom . You have had two lessons in that this evening . Bear in mind that in this part of the world the safest plan is always to attend strictly to your own business . '' All thought of sleep was for the present dissipated ; their pipes were again lighted , and it was midnight before they lay down . In the morning the bear was with some difficulty skinned and cut up , the joints being left outside to freeze through . The snow still fell steadily , but the wind had almost died down . Sallying out they cut five or six long poles , and with some difficulty fixed these from above across from the cliff to the outstanding rock , pushed the bear 's - skin across them , and lashed it there , its bulk being sufficient to cover the space above the fire and a considerable portion of their dwelling room .