e the chief figure in the hatchin'."

Shortly after the ordinary hour for rising, an order was issued by
Captain Hubbell, and enforced by Samuel Block, that no one should be
allowed to come on deck who had not eaten breakfast. There were those
on board that vessel who would have stayed on deck during all the hours
which should have been devoted to sleeping, had it not been so cold.
There would probably be nothing to see when they reached the pole, but
they wanted to be on hand, that they might see for themselves that there
was nothing to see.

CHAPTER XIII. LONGITUDE EVERYTHING

The sun was as high in the polar heavens as it ever rises in that part
of the world. Captain Hubbell stood on the deck of the Dipsey with his
quadrant in hand to take an observation. The engines had been stopped,
and nearly everybody on the vessel now surrounded him.

"Longitude everything," said Captain James Hubbell, "latitude ninety,
which is as near as I can make it out."

"My friends," said Mr. Gibbs, looking about him, "we have found the
pole."

And at these words every head was uncovered.

For some moments no one spoke; but there was a look upon the faces of
most of the party which expressed a feeling which was voiced by Sarah
Block.

"And yet," said she, speaking in a low tone, "there's nothing to see,
after all!"

Captain Hubbell's observations and calculations, although accurate
enough for all ordinary nautical purposes, were not sufficiently precise
to satisfy the demands of the present occasion, and Mr. Gibbs and
the electricians began a series of experiments to determine the exact
position of the true pole.

The vessel was now steered this way and that, sometimes backed, and then
sent forward again. After about an hour of this zigzag work Mr. Gibbs
ordered the engine stopped.

"Now," said he, "the ring on the deck is exactly over the pole, and we
may prepare to take possession."

At these words Samuel Block disappeared below, followed by his wife.

"That was an odd expression of yours, Captain Hubbell," said Mr. Gibbs,
"when you said we had reached longitude everything. It is correct, of
course, but it had not struck me in that light."

"Of course it is correct," said Captain Hubbell. "The end of every line
of longitude is right here in a bunch. If you were a bird, you could
choose one of 'em and fly down along it to Washington or Greenwich or
any other point you pleased. Longitude everything is what it is;