noon
Besides , the hoofs of the horses are getting sore , and it 's time to give 'em a long rest . '' They were now far up the high slopes , but not beyond the timber range . The air was thin and cold , and at night they always used two pairs of blankets , spreading the under pair on thick beds of dry leaves . In the morning the pools would be frozen over , but toward noon the ice under the slanting rays of the sun would melt . The march itself , and the air laden with odors of pine and spruce , and cedar and balsam , was healthful and invigorating . Will felt his chest expand . He knew that his lung power , already good , was increasing remarkably and that his muscles were both growing and hardening .