"When we look at the stars we have to see them through the great ocean of
air that surrounds the earth," replied Mary. "Like the Atlantic Ocean,
when the ocean of air is disturbed there are waves, and we have to look
at the stars through the waves. That is why their light seems to dance
about so. When the air is still then the starlight is steady, but when
it moves the stars twinkle. If we could go to the moon, where there is
not any air, we would not see the stars twinkle."
"Then I should rather stay here," said Harry, "because I like to watch
them dancing about. They seem so merry, I am sure they are laughing at
us, sister. Is there a story about Sirius?"
"It is part of a group of stars named the 'Great Dog,'" she replied;
"and higher up you will see the 'Little Dog.' These are the hounds that
Orion always took with him when he went hunting. They seem to have even
followed him to the sky.
[Illustration: THE GREAT DOG.]
"Sirius is also known as the Dog-star, because when it was seen by the
Egyptians in the east just before dawn it was thought to announce the
overflow of the Nile. Therefore the Egyptians watched this star, which
warned them, like a faithful dog, of the coming deluge. It was their
watch-dog or sentinel.
"Now I am going to tell you about the Twins, two brothers who loved each
other dearly while on earth. They were named Castor and Pollux. Castor
was killed in battle. Pollux could not bear to remain on earth without
him, so Jupiter placed him in the sky next to his brother.
[Illustration: THE HEAVENLY TWINS, CASTOR AND POLLUX.]
"If you look through the glass you can see that Pollux is a golden-yellow
star and Castor has a green tinge."
"Are all the stars colored?" asked Harry.