about midday
I seemed to see his face as he read the news of my escape , and I could picture the feverish way in which he would turn to each edition of the paper to find out whether I had been recaptured . Then I began to imagine our meeting , and George 's expression when he realized who it was . The idea was so pleasing that it almost made me forget my present misery . It must have been about midday when I decided on a move . In a way I suppose it was a rash thing to do , but I had got so cursedly cramped and cold again that I felt if I did n't take some exercise I should never last out the day . Even as it was , my legs had lost practically all feeling , and for the first few steps I took I was staggering about like a drunkard . Keeping to the thickest part of the wood , I made my way slowly forward ; my idea being to reach the top of the valley and then lie low again until nightfall .