s and
everything quite, _quite_ still!'

CHAPTER VIII

A NICE PLAN

'Up where the world grows cold,
Under the sharp north star.'
_A North Pole Story._

Biddy stared at Celestina. The little girl's face was quite flushed with
excitement.

'Go on,' said Biddy. 'Tell me some more. I never heard about it.'

'It's what they call the arctic regions,' said Celestina. 'The old
sailor at the lighthouse has been there. Once he was there in a ship
that got fastened into the ice, and they thought they'd never get out
again, and they'd scarcely nothing to eat. Oh, it was dreadful; but I
did so like to hear about it. And fancy, in the summer it never gets
night up there--the sun never goes away; and in the winter it never gets
day, the sun doesn't come up at all.'

'How very funny!' said Biddy. 'What makes it like that? Is it the same
sun as ours?'

'Oh yes, but I can't quite explain,' said Celestina, looking rather
puzzled. 'Father showed it me with the candle and a little round globe
we've got, but I'm afraid I couldn't tell you.'

'Could the old man tell it?' asked Biddy. 'I would so like to go to see
him. Don't you think we might some day?'

'Perhaps,' said Celestina. 'When the summer comes perhaps your papa
would take you in a boat. Lots of ladies go out to the lighthouse in the
summer. It's too cold in a boat in winter.'

'But I don't mean in a boat,' said Bridget; 'I mean walking. I'm quite
_sure_ we could jump over the little bit of water if we gave a great big
jump. I once jumped over a whole brook at grandmamma's--I did really.'

'It's much bigger than that--it is indeed. You don't understand,' said
Celestina. 'If you'd ask your papa he'd tell you, I daresay. But I think
we must be going home now. I'm sure it's time.'

'I'm sure it isn't,' said Biddy crossly. 'We haven't talked about the
dolls at all yet, and I want you to tell me more about that funny place
where the snow is.'

'I'll try to think of more to tell you if your mamma will let you go out
with me another time, and I'd like dearly to show you my dolls' room if
you could come to our house one day,' said Celestina. 'But we must go
home now, Miss Biddy.'

Bridget flounced about, looking very much put out.

'I'm not going yet. I don't want to go in,' she said.

Celestina began to look troubled. Then her face cleared.

'_I_ must go home,' she said, 'whether you do or not. I wouldn't for
any