noon
A short rest brought the colour back to the Boy 's lips , but we did not go on again until we had eaten some of the chicken sandwiches which had been put up for me at the hotel . Climbing had made us hungry , although we had not been three hours on the way . And we had left the summer behind , on lower levels ; we did not need to remind ourselves now that it was autumn . By noon we were _ en route _ again , but the brilliance of the day had gone . As we looked back at the world we were leaving , serrated mountains were dark against flying silver clouds , and when we neared the Col , a fierce north wind , which had been lying in wait for us above , swooped down like a great bird of prey . We had heard it shrieking from afar , but now we had penetrated into its very eyrie ; and as we crept , like flies upon a wall , along the tiny path which merely roughened the sheer rock precipice , the wind caught and clawed us with savage glee . For a wonder , the much-travelled Joseph had never before made the ascent of Mont Revard , therefore a certain pioneer instinct on which I pride myself , and yesterday 's research in the admirable map of the Ministry of the Interior , alone gave us guidance .