well , if you want to know for sure , just check the six o'clock news , he thought , and then had to raise both hands to his mouth to plug up the giggles . `` about half a continent 's worth when we hit . '' he would n't be able to maintain this pace , but as long as he kept moving , he should be close to the hotel by dawn the next day . would that i had died ere i came to this torment . 