whether to believe them or not. But Jack Mason was a good man, and I
knew he would not tell me what was not true.

Shall I tell you some of the stories that this good old sailor told me
when he had to stay at home, because he had broken his hip? I think I
can remember some worth telling again.

"O yes, Mr. Thinker, tell us all the stories the old sailor told you."

"No, I cannot do that. I cannot remember them all."

"Well, tell us all you do remember."

"I will see about it. I will tell you some of them, at any rate. Let
me see, what story shall I tell first? Shall I tell you his story
about what he saw once, when he sailed a great way north? I guess I
will."

[Illustration]




JACK MASON'S VISIT TO THE NORTH SEA.


If you should go a great way north, you would find it very cold. The
further you go north, the colder it is. I went so far that way one
time, that I got almost frozen. The ship I sailed in came close to
an iceberg once, and we all thought for a while that the ship would