ruck by a happy thought, he thrust his hand into his pocket and took
out a little compass, which he carefully placed level on a block of
stone, watching it till the needle had ceased to vibrate.

"Well?" said the captain, smiling.

"That's the north," said Steve, with his forehead wrinkled.

"Of course; we knew that before."

"And the sun looks as if it were just going to set in the wrong place,
sir."

"Yes, my lad; but it is not going to set. In another quarter of an hour
it will be at its lowest point, and then begin to rise higher and travel
apparently eastward to the south. You wanted to see the midnight sun.
There it is; but I hope you'll see it to greater perfection when we get
farther north."

"Yes; but won't it set at all?" cried Steve.

"No; we shall have what will seem like endless day for the rest of the
summer."

"And shan't want lamps?"

"No, not for a long time to come."

"But, then, shan't we want to go to bed and sleep?"

"Oh yes," said the doctor, laughing; "and I shall be very glad to get my
dinner--supper, I mean--and then go. So let's get back on board."

But Steve did not move for a minute or two. He stood staring at the
sun, beneath which the ice was glittering, while the snow upon the
mountains flashed and looked more beautiful than ever. At last he
shouldered his gun.

"I'm very stupid, I suppose," he said at last, as he looked from one to
the other. "I learned all about it at school, and I suppose I knew all
this; but now I'm right amongst it everything seems puzzling. I can't
understand how this can be night; but it will all come right by-and-by."

"Of course," said the captain, smiling; "but it looks as if the dog
understands what puzzles you."

Steve looked round.

"Why, he's asleep."

"Yes; and look about you. Where are the birds? I don't see one on the
wing."

"There are thousands up yonder on the ledges," said Steve, pointing to
the lines of black-backed and white-breasted puffins and grey gulls.

"Yes, my lad; but they're all roosting," said the captain. "All ready,
my lads? Now, then, for the boat."

"Here, Skeny, wake up, old chap!" cried Steve, forcing a laugh. "Sorry
to disturb you in the middle of the night, but you'll be able to see."

The dog did not stir till his master bent down and touched him, when he
started into wakefulness, got up stiffly, shook himself and made his
ears rattle, and then yawned in a very human way.

"Come along, then,