how long will it be
before we see the sun in the middle of the night?"

"That depends, my lad. If this breeze keeps up, we shall hoist sail,
save our coal, and pass round the North Cape at midnight, and then we
shall have a good three months' sunshine in which to load our tanks with
oil, have plenty of sport, and I hope--best of all--find our friends
alive and little the worse for passing through an arctic winter in the
snow. Now that's quite enough for you to think of for one night. Down
below."

Stephen Young left the deck after giving a longing look round at the
lovely sky, and feeling as if he had more to think of than he could well
manage. Ten minutes later he was lying in his comfortable berth,
listening to the gliding motion of the water as it lapped against the
vessel's side. Then he began to wonder why the constant sunshine did
not melt all the ice and snow in the arctic circle; and lastly he did
not wonder at all, for he was fast asleep, just as the vessel passed
through the piled-up masses of rock which guarded the northern entrance
to the fiord, and acted as breakwaters to keep the inner straits so
lake-like and still. For directly the _Hvalross_ had passed the last
rocks there was a disagreeable heaving, and soon after the vessel had
little waves splashing against her bows, and within an hour she was
careening over to the full breeze, and making her way north at a rate
which promised well for Stephen seeing the midnight sun twelve hours
sooner than he had been told.

The swilling and scrubbing of the planks roused Steve the next morning,
and, hurriedly dressing, he went on deck to find the sun shining
brightly, the blue sea sparkling, and a dim line that might have been
cloud away to the right. The breeze was just such a one as a sailor
would like to continue, and the _Hvalross_, though not fast, being built
for strength and resistance to the ice, was making good progress, thanks
to the height of her spars and the grand spread of canvas she could
bear. The new men were all very busy with bucket and swab, just as if
they had been on board a month; and the last traces of the coal dust,
which had worried Captain Marsham in his desire for perfect cleanliness,
had been sent down the scuppers.

"Morning," said the first of the new men Steve encountered, giving him a
friendly nod. "Nice breeze."

Steve stared, for he did not expect to find the new men able to converse
in English; but in five minute