midnight
The beavers ' tails , although never tasted before by the boys , were very much enjoyed by them . They racked their brains and memories to try and think of some article of food that had a taste somewhat similar , but had to give it up . So they had to agree with Alec that if you wished to know just how beavers ' tails tasted -- well , you must eat one . As the evening promised to be a calm and beautiful one , Mr Ross said that they had better start not long after midnight . They could travel on the back trail until they reached the camp where the storm had struck them without much difficulty ; after which in all probability they would have to make a fresh trail . A blizzard storm in that land quickly obliterates a trail , and thus the return journey is often made without a single evidence of any other trip ever having been made in that region of country . Their great success in capturing so many beavers meant a large additional weight on their sleds .