th Pole there, there's a night of I don't
know how many months, when you don't see him at all."

"You are wrong there, Grim," cried out Jack Windy. "I once shipped
aboard a whaler, and we were shut up all the winter in the ice, and
during the time we every day caught a sight of the red head of the old
sun, just popping up above the horizon to the southward, and a comfort
that was, I can tell you, particularly when we saw him getting higher
and higher, and knew that summer was coming back again, and that we
should have the ice breaking away, and get set free once more."

"Yes, yes!" exclaimed Bill, exultingly, "I am sure the sun shines
everywhere, and though you might have got a long night in winter, you
got a longer day in summer, I'll warrant."

"You are right there, boy," said Jack Windy. "For days together, in the
north there, the sun never sets, and so, as you say, we have a very long
day."

"I thought so!" exclaimed Bill, quite delighted. "Whatever else
happens, God takes care to give us a right share of sunshine, and more
than a right share too, if we reckon upon what we deserve."

A portion of the crew were below, but one after the other they came up,
complaining that the between-decks was more like a stew-pan or hothouse
than any place they had ever before been in. The officers also made
their appearance on deck; but though they began to walk up and down as
usual, one after the other they stopped and leant against the bulwarks
or a gun-carriage, turning their faces round as if to catch a breath of
air. The dog-vanes, however, hung down as listlessly as ever.

"Not an air in the heavens, sir," observed Mr Truck, the master, as
Captain Trevelyan came on deck. "I cannot make anything of the
weather."

"But I can," exclaimed the captain, taking a hurried glance to the
westward. "What is that, do you think?"

He pointed to what seemed a long bank of driven snow rising out of the
horizon. It extended nearly half-way round the horizon, every instant
getting higher and higher.

"All hands shorten sail!" shouted the captain. "Up aloft, there! Lay
out, haul down!"

The words produced a magical effect. In a minute, the listless crew
were all activity and life. Up the rigging they swarmed like bees, some
throwing themselves into the tops, others ascending the topgallant
yards, and running out to either yard-arm, till every part of the ship
swarmed with life, those on deck pulling and hauling with mig