haven't much opinion of long-faced people anyway,
whether they live on rocky islands or in big houses or in little
huts,--whether they are old or young, rich or poor, civilized or savage,
Christian or pagan. That's my opinion.

* * * * *

"Well, this winter passed over just as the other had done;--the same
routine of work and hunting, the same cold and darkness, the same
constant bearing up against our unhappy fortunes. It did not in any
particular differ from the other in a manner worthy of mention, except
that no bears came this time to disturb us. But there was the same
aurora borealis, the same bright starlight and brighter moonlight, the
same fierce snows and howling gales. We caught foxes and seals as we had
done before, and wanted not for food or fuel. Our health was still
always good.

"So you see there is no occasion for our halting over this period. I can
tell you nothing new about it. The winter came to an end, as everything
must, in time; the sun came back; the summer followed the winter; and
this, our third summer on the Rock of Good Hope, passed away like the
others, with its bright sunshine, and its pretty butterflies and
flowers, and myriads of birds, but still no ship, and still no rescue."

* * * * *

After the Captain had thus spoken, he paused as if to consider whether
he had omitted anything, in connection with the long period they had
passed on the island, that would make it worth his while to dwell
longer upon any portion of his story up to this time. Satisfied always
of the deep interest and close attention of his young auditors, he
thought only of selecting such points of the narrative as seemed to him
likely to convey most pleasure and instruction to the little people,
who, ever eager to listen, were yet always curious to have something
cleared up which the Captain had hastily passed over, thinking little of
it. But still they had the good sense to see (to say nothing of the
requirements of politeness) that they were not likely to be much
benefited by interrupting the Captain; for if they asked questions in
the midst of his story he would, in all probability, be put out, and
lose the even thread of his narration. But a question, or perhaps a
volley of them, was always sure to come if the Captain made a pause, or
as he, in mariner phrase, expressed it, lay "hove to," for a little
while.

So it was now. No so