"Hands off!" the mastiff seemed to say, "hands off till we know more
about you!"

* * * * *

Of course Uncle was chief favourite with the children, but all the three
of them came to like the little professor very much indeed. He was with
them nearly all day long. Tom was usually very busy; so, too, was Uncle
Staysail; and though it must not be thought that Pete was an idle man,
for he had much to study, still he always found time to romp and play
with Aralia, Pansy, and the two dogs.

Though the weather grew colder for a time, it was all one long, long
summer's day. For in the Arctic regions the sun never sets for at least
three months, but just goes round and round, blazing high in the south at
mid-day, and lower in the north at midnight. Indeed, in these seas, if
you were not to look at the clock, you could not really tell whether it
was night or day.

Every evening now the little party gathered round the large stove, on
which a copper urn of coffee was always gently simmering. Then the
professor told his strangest stories, with perhaps Pansy on his knee, and
Aralia lying on the hearth-rug with the dogs. Most of his yarns were
about the Frozen North, its dangers and perils, its joys and pleasures.

"And shall we see all these strange sights?" Pansy used to ask.

"Yes, dear, and many more than these, because I mean to give you a treat
if you are good and don't get your fingers frozen."