rpendicularly, directly under the end of this
inclined stake, and drove the other stake down into that. The two upper
ends of the stakes were now together.

Then Jonas stooped down, so as to bring his eye near the edge of the
inclined stake, at the lower end, so that he could "_sight_" along the
edge of it, towards the star. He had previously cut a notch in it, so
that he could get his eye down far enough to look directly along the
edge. At the same time, Rollo took hold of the upper end, and stood
ready to move it either way, as Jonas might direct, until it should
point exactly towards the North Star.

"Down," said Jonas.

Then Rollo moved it a little down.

"Down more."

Rollo moved it farther.

"Up--up a little," added Jonas. "There--that will do. Now hold the two
stakes firmly together, exactly so."

Then Jonas took some nails, which he had before provided, and nailed the
tops of the stakes together, Rollo holding the axe up against them, on
the opposite side. This supported the end of the inclined stake firmly,
so that it could not move up or down. This was all that the boys wanted
to do in the evening, and so they both went in.

The next day, Jonas sawed off the ends of both stakes where they
projected beyond the junction; and then Rollo said he would watch the
clock all day, and mark the place where the shadow came each hour, and
drive a little stake down. "Then," said he, "our dial will be done."

"But what do you suppose is the reason," said Rollo, "that we must make
it point to the North Star more than to any other?"

"I don't know," said Jonas, "unless it is because the North Star is the
only one that keeps always in the same place. The rest move round and
round every day. Those that are far enough from the North Star to go
down below the horizon, rise and set; and those that are not far
enough, go round and round in circles, in the open sky. But the North
Star keeps still."

"Does it?" said Rollo, turning around, and looking up to the part of the
heavens where he had seen the star the evening before.

"Yes," said Jonas; "and the reason why we cannot see it now, is the
bright daylight. It is up there now, just where it was last night."

"And the Dipper, too?" said Rollo.

"Yes, and the Dipper, too; only that has moved half round, I suppose,
and is now away up above the North Star."

"I wish I could see it," said Rollo. And he looked as steadily and
intently into the clear blue sky, as he co