here were the three children, all mirth and smiles, seated beside
Pete, and Tom, with head bowed down, waiting to take his seat.

"Hillo! Hillo! But what will your father and mother think, my dears?"

"Oh," cried Tom, "we made that all right! Father gave his consent, and
he'll easily manage Mother."

"Steward!" shouted the captain, and Jake came running. "Put the other
half-leaf in the table to-night, and lay covers for three more, for these
young ragamuffins must mess with us in future."

There was no more word about ghosts now, and the kind professor forgave
the Finlander. He was set free and sent to duty, and now for weeks and
weeks there wasn't a much happier vessel afloat than the brave ship
_Valhalla_ bound for the Frozen North.

The two dogs became great friends, but, strangely enough, both disliked
Broomberg, and kept out of his way whenever they could. Once, indeed,
when the man bent down to stroke Veevee, Briton stood guard over his
little friend and growled.

"Hands off!" the mastiff seemed to say, "hands off till we know more
about you!"

* * * * *

Of course Uncle was chief favourite with the children, but all the three
of them came to like the little professor very much indeed. He was with
them nearly all day long. Tom was usually very busy; so, too, was Uncle
Staysail; and though it must not be thought that Pete was an idle man,
for he had much to study, still he always found time to romp and play
with Aralia, Pansy, and the two dogs.

Though the weather grew colder for a time, it was all one long, long
summer's day. For in the Arctic regions the sun never sets for at least
three months, but just goes round and round, blazing high in the south at
mid-day, and lower in the north at midnight. Indeed, in these seas, if
you were not to look at the clock, you could not really tell whether it
was night or day.

Every evening now the little party gathered round the large stove, on
which a copper urn of coffee was always gently simmering. Then the
professor told his strangest stories, with perhaps Pansy on his knee, and
Aralia lying on the hearth-rug with the dogs. Most of his yarns were
about the Frozen North, its dangers and perils, its joys and pleasures.

"And shall we see all these strange sights?" Pansy used to ask.

"Yes, dear, and many more than these, because I mean to give you a treat
if you are good and don't get your fingers frozen."

One day great lumps o