Over the ice they went like lightning, drawn by the pack-dog, Speed.
"I don't know of any name that would be better for him," said
Sweetclover.
"He goes as swiftly as the Condor did, do you remember?"
Kernel Cob did remember, but he didn't want Sweetclover to think any
more about the past for, thought he: "If she remembers the Condor she
will remember the Villain, and the first thing you know we will be
swimming in her tears and I can't stand crying. It makes me very
angry."
So he drew her attention to the scenery, although there was precious
little of that, only ice.
"I wonder where we are," said Jackie Tar, and he looked at his
compass. "Whoa," he cried excitedly, and Speed came to a stop and sat
down on the ice.
"Here we are," said Jackie Tar.
"Here?" asked Kernel Cob. "Where?"
"The North Pole," said Jackie Tar.
"I don't see any pole," said Kernel Cob, and Jackie Tar laughed till
the tears ran down his cheeks and fell off in little icicles. "You
didn't suppose there really was a pole, did you?"
"Of course," said Kernel Cob.
"I thought everyone knew that there wasn't a real pole here," answered
Jackie.
"Then what do you call it a pole for?" asked Kernel Cob.
"I don't know," said Jackie Tar, "only I know there isn't a pole. It's
just called that."
"I don't believe you've found it at all," said Kernel Cob.
"Oh yes," said Jackie Tar, "of that you may be sure for my compass
tells me that this is the top of the world."
"Well," said Kernel Cob, "that's the silliest thing I ever heard, for
I thought we would see a great pole sticking high in the air."
And they got off their sled and walked about.
"Why did you want to come here?" asked Speed.
"You see," explained Kernel Cob, "we are looking for Jackie and Peggs'
motheranfather, and once when we were in India a Hoodoo ..."
"A Hindoo you mean," corrected Jackie Tar.
"A Hindoo," said Kernel Cob, "showed us on a crystal ball a picture of
them in the snow, digging for gold. So we thought if we got to the
North Pole we would find them."
"Nobody comes to the North Pole to dig gold," said Speed.
"Why not?" asked Sweetclover.
"Because there isn't any gold here," said the dog.
"There isn't?" asked Sweetclover.
"No," answered Speed.
"This is a funny world," said Kernel Cob, "the North Pole isn't a pole
at all, and after we get here there isn't any gold mine. I wouldn't be
surprised to hear that I wasn't alive."
"The nearest gold mine that I ever heard of in these parts," said
Speed, "is in the Yukon."
"Where's that?" asked Kernel Cob.
"In Alaska," answered Speed.
"Is that far?" asked Sweetclover.
"Yes, it's a great distance from here, but if you like I'll take you
there."
"You're very kind," said Sweetclover.
"It's a pleasure to do for people who are so good," said Speed.
So after Kernel Cob dug their names in the ice with his sword, they
got on their sled and Speed started off again.
"How do you know how to go to Yukon?" asked Sweetclover.
"Oh, I've been over the ice lots and lots of times," said he.
And they travelled all day.
"I never saw such a long day," said Kernel Cob, "the sun doesn't seem
to go down, but only round and round."
"That's because we are so high on the earth," said Speed. "Some nights
are six months long."
But nothing could induce Kernel Cob to believe this, "For," said he,
"I won't believe anything more about the world as long as I live."
And after a few days they came to a place where the ice was broken,
and they had to cross by floating on huge cakes of ice, which was very
exciting.
They were crossing on one of these once, and Kernel Cob and
Sweetclover had gone across with Speed, when the cake of ice on which
they were waiting for Jackie Tar, split suddenly, and Jackie Tar was
left behind on a small piece.
In vain they tried to catch him and slowly but surely he began to
drift away from them farther and farther, and all they could do was to
watch him fade out of sight.
"Oh," cried Sweetclover, "we shall never see him again.
"Will he be killed?"
"I don't know," said Speed. "He's got a good chance of being picked up
by a vessel, if he ever floats down south far enough."
"Oh, I hope so," cried Sweetclover, "for he is such a brave sailor and
was so good to us."
And after Kernel Cob and Sweetclover had said a prayer to the fairies
to take good care of Jackie Tar, they drove away in their sled and at
length came to the Yukon.
[Illustration]
A PRAYER FOR JACKIE TAR
Do not think it very nice
To travel on a cake of ice
Except in Summer when it's hot;
But in the Winter, when it's not
And icy winds blow in my face
I like an open fireplace
Where I can watch the glowing flames
Or play upon the floor with games.
So let us say a fervent prayer
That Jackie Tar may land somewhere
Beyond the sweep of wind and storm
Where he may find it safe and warm.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]