mes the sun did not rise above the
horizon for several months.

"If it's as long as that," said Johnny, "we might go and see the old
fellow and get back before midnight? I wish we could go."

"So do I," said Tommy, "but I'm afraid we might not find our way." He
remembered just then that all one had to do was to steer by the North
Star, and at that moment he caught sight of the star right over the
goats' heads.

The coast was clear and the snow was up to the top of the fences. The
moon made it as light as day and never again would there be such a
chance. It came to him, too, that on the map all the lines ran
together at the North Pole, so that one could hardly miss his way, and
if he should, there were Eskimos to guide him. So when Johnny said,
"Let's go and try," he agreed, for if they once got there, Santa
Claus, himself, might bring them back with him.

For a moment they went along as though they were coasting down a hill,
with the little North Star shining directly in front of them as they
glided along.

Just then Tommy said, "I wish the goats were reindeer. Let's pretend
they are."

"So do I," said Johnny.

At this instant something happened; the goats gave a jump which sent a
cloud of fine snow up into the boys' faces; the sled gave a great leap
and on a sudden they began to tear along like the wind. The snow-fields
flew by them, and the trees, standing up to their knees in snow, simply
tore along to the rear.

"They are running away!" said Tommy, as soon as he could catch his
breath.

"All right. Let them run," said Johnny. "But steer by the North Star."
And so they did.

When the cloud of snow in their faces cleared away, Tommy could
scarcely believe his eyes.

"Look, Johnny!" he cried. "They are real reindeer. Real live ones.
Look at their antlers."

"I know," said Johnny. "That little man said he wanted to swap with
me."

So they flew on, up hill and down dale, over fields of white snow
where the fences and rocks were buried and the cuts were filled up
level; down frozen streams, winding through great forests where the
pines were mantled with white; in between great walls of black rock
towering above them, with the stars shining down like fires; out again
across the vast stretches of snow with the Pole Star ever twisting and
turning and coming before them again, until the sky seemed lit up with
wonderful colours, and great bands of light were shooting up and
sinking down only to shoot up aga