noon
Was this fact in itself not significant ? Rod was of a contemplative theoretical turn of mind , one of those wide-awake , interesting young fellows who find food for conjecture in almost every incident that occurs , and his suspicions were now aroused to an unusual pitch . A chief fault , however , was that he kept most of his suspicions to himself , for he believed that Mukoki and Wabigoon , born and taught in the life of the wilderness , were infallible in their knowledge of the ways and the laws and the perils of the world they were in . A little before noon Rod arrived at the top of the hill from which he could look down on their camp . He was filled with pleasurable anticipation , and with an unbounded swelling satisfaction that caused him to smile as he proceeded into the dip . He had found a fortune in the mysterious chasm . The burden of the silver fox upon his shoulders was a most pleasing reminder of that , and he pictured the moment when the good-natured raillery of Mukoki and Wabigoon would be suddenly turned into astonishment and joy .