Noon
The marks he chose and passed seemed innumerable ; but the wilderness still ran on , pitilessly empty . His leg was intensely painful ; he knew that he must break down soon ; and they had seen nothing of a stony rise for which they watched eagerly . To find it would simplify matters , for the Indian had made them understand that the bluffs about the post lay nearly east of it . Noon passed , and they still pressed forward without a halt , for there was little more than three hours ' daylight left , and it was unthinkable that they should spend the night without food or shelter . The horizon steadily narrowed as the snow thickened ; there was a risk of their passing the guiding-marks , or even the factory . It was nearly three o'clock when Harding stumbled and fell into the snow . He found himself unable to get up until Benson helped him , and in his attempt to rise he further strained his weakened leg .