Crusoes of the Frozen North Part 8

And I feel pretty certain that even at home in Merrie England no one that evening ate more heartily or made a better dinner than our Crusoes, all alone though they were in the far-off Frozen North.

After supper they all came round the fire, and the dogs went off to sleep, perchance to dream; but the children kept very wide awake indeed.

And Tom told lots of droll, funny stories, and everybody sang songs.

After this, all the talk was about home and the delightful time they were sure to have in one year's time, when Christmas came round again once more.

Then came sleep, and when Tom looked at his watch--next morning let me call it--it was very nearly twelve o'clock!

Although it now wanted but a fortnight, according to Tom's reckoning, of the first sunrise, it was still as dark as ever, and but for the moon and stars and glorious Aurora, life about this time would have been very tame and dreary indeed.

Yet, owing to the clearness of the air and the purity of everything around them, the children never once lost heart. In fact they were as merry as sky-larks, and often made the island resound with song and mirth and laughter.

And the dogs, as well as Flossy, were merrier still. They barked and laughed as only dogs can, and chased each other round and round in great circles, often disappearing for ten minutes at a time, and springing out and rolling Flossy over and over when she least expected them.

Flossy was gay enough, although she couldn't run, and often leapt fully six feet high, turning over and over in the air before she came down again.

And when she did manage to entice the dogs into the water, it was her turn to show them her skill; and indeed her feats in the water were marvellous. Anyhow, she used quite to astonish the dogs. They were all very well in the woods, but couldn't match Flossy in the water, and there was no use trying it.

CHAPTER VIII

The long mid-day twilights came first, uncertain and gray to begin with, but getting brighter and more lovely as time went on. It was as if Nature were trying her hand in painting the sky to give the great king of day a glorious welcome.

But one day the snow on the mountain peaks changed to a bright red, while above floated just one streak of crimson cloud; higher up, the stars shone in a strange, green light, and all the horizon was of the richest orange colour.

"Oh, surely," cried Pansy, "the sun will rise to-day!"

But the red faded from the mountain-top, the little cloud turned brown, then gray, then black, and it was night once more.

"No, little sister," said Tom kindly; "but the sun will rise to-morrow."

All went to bed early that night, and were up very early in the morning.

In fact, breakfast was finished before the stars had begun to pale in the west. Then came twilight itself, and, long though it was, its intense beauty was the best reward for the waiting, watching little Crusoes.

Every heart was beating quickly, and Pansy was standing on brave Tom's shoulder, just to be "nearer the sky", she said.

All were silent.

The sun came at last, and with such a silvery sheen, too, that the children were dazzled.

This was best, for they could not thus see the tears that slowly trickled down each other's faces.

"Look! look! look!" was all Pansy could say.

"Oh, isn't it splendid!" said Tom, as soon as he could speak.

"Uncle is sure to come now," said Aralia firmly.

"I'll go and fish," Flossy seemed to say as she sprang three times her length in the air, and turned head over heels like the clown in a circus.

"Come on, Veevee," cried the mastiff, "come for a run in the suns.h.i.+ne."

And off they set.

But the day soon ended, for the sun quickly disappeared. Yet the Crusoes had seen it, and that was joy enough for once.

And now the days began to lengthen out, but at the same time earthquakes and thunder-storms became more and more frequent. The lake felt hot again, and the water tossed about so much at times, that even Flossy was afraid to venture in to catch the fish she could not live without.

There was a most terrible earthquake-storm about two weeks after the first sunrise.

Even Tom himself was frightened this time, for the thunderings and lightnings and explosions were awful, and lasted for three long days.

It was pitch dark all the time, and the rain came down in sheets.

To make matters worse, smoke of a strange red colour was seen on the hills. It looked as if it came from rents in the mountain-sides, and there was a smell like burning sulphur in the air.

But this season of terror ended at last; the stars shone out, there was a fine display of northern lights, and, soon after, the sun rose. A stiff breeze sprang up, and all the clouds and vapours were blown away, the last thing seen being a rainbow in the east.

The joy of the Crusoes now knew no bounds. The dogs dashed about, Veevee barked "Wiff!" Briton barked "Wowff!" and Flossy frisked her tail and went off to fish.

The children now set out for a stroll, and saw many curious sights. Close to the lake, in several places, the earth seemed to have been ripped open, and, looking down as they stood hand in hand on the edge, they seemed to be gazing right into the world's dark depths.

Next day Tom took a long walk alone. He went to the top of one of the highest hills, having left his sisters in charge of Frank and Briton, but taking Veevee and his rifle with him.

Pansy watched him go up and up the mountain, until he was lost to sight.

"Oh," she cried, as she clapped her hands, "I know where Tom has gone! He has just gone away to bring Uncle and 'Fessor Pete back again."

Well, anyhow, Tom had a look at the sea. It spread out as far as the eye could reach, and was covered everywhere with great snow-clad bergs of ice, except just close to the island, where it was clear, but black as ink.

It was nothing more than he expected, but somehow he wished it had been otherwise.

He marched down the other side of the hill for quite a mile, keeping a good look-out, however, lest some huge ice-bear should catch him unawares.

By and by he missed his little four-footed friend, and traced him by his footprints into a cave.

He called aloud, but received no answer. The cave seemed to be a vast one, and he had to feel his way in the dark with his rifle, for fear of falling down some hole.

As he could hear nothing, he thought poor Veevee must be dead, and slowly and sadly turned back.

His foot kicked against something hard when he was near to the entrance, and, stooping down, he picked up what seemed to be a piece of white stone, and put it into the pocket of his jacket.

When he got back home at last, poor Pansy cried very much indeed at the loss of her pet. But when, next morning, she found him curled up at her feet, she thought it must have been all a dream.

How the dog got back was never known, but it is possible he had been wandering all night in that cavern, deep down in the earth, and come out at the lake side of the range of hills.