noon
But first he fished their sunken outfit from the clear water of the channel . Brochet went down and found the paddles where they had been cast upon the sand below Little Hayes Rapid . Dreaulond pushed over a dead birch , heaping its dried husk and powdery center for a quick fire . Then they stripped off their soaked garments and spread them upon the rocks under the perpendicular sun of high noon . There the steaming clothes dried more quickly than would have been possible before the flames . It was time to eat . The hot meal of fried fish newly caught , bannocks baked from the already wetted flour , and tea proved welcome .