CHAPTER VIII
The long mid-day twilights came first, uncertain and gray to begin with,but getting brighter and more lovely as time went on. It was as if Naturewere trying her hand in painting the sky to give the great king of day aglorious welcome.
But one day the snow on the mountain peaks changed to a bright red, whileabove floated just one streak of crimson cloud; higher up, the starsshone in a strange, green light, and all the horizon was of the richestorange colour.
"Oh, surely," cried Pansy, "the sun will rise to-day!"
But the red faded from the mountain-top, the little cloud turned brown,then gray, then black, and it was night once more.
"No, little sister," said Tom kindly; "but the sun will rise to-morrow."
All went to bed early that night, and were up very early in the morning.In fact, breakfast was finished before the stars had begun to pale in thewest. Then came twilight itself, and, long though it was, its intensebeauty was the best reward for the waiting, watching little Crusoes.
Every heart was beating quickly, and Pansy was standing on brave Tom'sshoulder, just to be "nearer the sky", she said.
All were silent.
The sun came at last, and with such a silvery sheen, too, that thechildren were dazzled.
This was best, for they could not thus see the tears that slowly trickleddown each other's faces.
"Look! look! look!" was all Pansy could say.
"Oh, isn't it splendid!" said Tom, as soon as he could speak.
"Uncle is sure to come now," said Aralia firmly.
"I'll go and fish," Flossy seemed to say as she sprang three times herlength in the air, and turned head over heels like the clown in a circus.
"Come on, Veevee," cried the mastiff, "come for a run in the sunshine."And off they set.
But the day soon ended, for the sun quickly disappeared. Yet the Crusoeshad seen it, and that was joy enough for once.
And now the days began to lengthen out, but at the same time earthquakesand thunder-storms became more and more frequent. The lake felt hotagain, and the water tossed about so much at times, that even Flossy wasafraid to venture in to catch the fish she could not live without.
There was a most terrible earthquake-storm about two weeks after thefirst sunrise.
Even Tom himself was frightened this time, for the thunderings andlightnings and explosions were awful, and lasted for three long days.It was pitch dark all the time, and the rain came down in sheets.
To make matters worse, smoke of a strange red colour was seen on thehills. It looked as if it came from rents in the mountain-sides, andthere was a smell like burning sulphur in the air.
But this season of terror ended at last; the stars shone out, there was afine display of northern lights, and, soon after, the sun rose. A stiffbreeze sprang up, and all the clouds and vapours were blown away, thelast thing seen being a rainbow in the east.
The joy of the Crusoes now knew no bounds. The dogs dashed about, Veeveebarked "Wiff!" Briton barked "Wowff!" and Flossy frisked her tail andwent off to fish.
The children now set out for a stroll, and saw many curious sights. Closeto the lake, in several places, the earth seemed to have been rippedopen, and, looking down as they stood hand in hand on the edge, theyseemed to be gazing right into the world's dark depths.
Next day Tom took a long walk alone. He went to the top of one of thehighest hills, having left his sisters in charge of Frank and Briton, buttaking Veevee and his rifle with him.
Pansy watched him go up and up the mountain, until he was lost to sight.
"Oh," she cried, as she clapped her hands, "I know where Tom has gone! Hehas just gone away to bring Uncle and 'Fessor Pete back again."
Well, anyhow, Tom had a look at the sea. It spread out as far as the eyecould reach, and was covered everywhere with great snow-clad bergs ofice, except just close to the island, where it was clear, but black asink.
It was nothing more than he expected, but somehow he wished it had beenotherwise.
He marched down the other side of the hill for quite a mile, keeping agood look-out, however, lest some huge ice-bear should catch himunawares.
By and by he missed his little four-footed friend, and traced him by hisfootprints into a cave.
He called aloud, but received no answer. The cave seemed to be a vastone, and he had to feel his way in the dark with his rifle, for fear offalling down some hole.
As he could hear nothing, he thought poor Veevee must be dead, and slowlyand sadly turned back.
His foot kicked against something hard when he was near to the entrance,and, stooping down, he picked up what seemed to be a piece of whitestone, and put it into the pocket of his jacket.
When he got back home at last, poor Pansy cried very much indeed at theloss of her pet. But when, next morning, she found him curled up at herfeet, she thought it must have been all a dream.
How the dog got back was never known, but it is possible he had beenwandering all night in that cavern, deep down in the earth, and come outat the lake side of the range of hills.
* * * * *
It was quite a month before Tom crossed the hills again. By this timespring had already come back to Fairy Island. The buds were all out onthe trees, and the green leaves on a thousand bushes. Wild flowers wereeverywhere. The birds, too, had returned, and the sea-gulls had taken uptheir abode on a great patch of level ground just on the other side ofthe lake. When anyone went near to their nests, which were in thousands,and so close together that it was difficult to thread one's way throughthem, the noise and screaming they made was deafening.
Now I don't think that Tom and Frank were cruel, but they had to live,and those great green-speckled eggs made a splendid addition to thelarder, so that, what with sunshine and better food, the girls soon gotback all the colour they had lost during the long, long night of winter.
But where was the _Valhalla_ and her crew all this time? Would theynever, never come?
The Crusoes lived in hope.
Now in spring-time the foxes and bears of the north, that have slept orstarved for months, become bold and dangerous through hunger. Bears arealways to be feared, but more so at this time of the year than any other.
One day the prisoners of Fairy Island had been gayer than usual, but atlast, tired and happy, they had lain down to rest. It might have beenabout midnight when they were awakened by a warning growl from Briton.Then, with Veevee, he sprang up and rushed to the gate barking furiously.
Tom sprang to his feet, and snatched up his rifle. He was not left longin doubt as to who the enemy was. The wild wolf-foxes were in force, andthe yelping and howling outside was terrible to listen to.
He fired his rifle several times right into the centre of the pack,killing many and wounding more. This only made matters worse. The fierceand hungry beasts dashed themselves at the gate and tried to tear it inpieces.
Stones were hurled at them, but all in vain. Poor Briton was as anxiousto get out as they were to get in, and had to be kept back by force.
"Go, quick, Frank," shouted Tom, "and stir up the fire; heap more peatsand wood on, and bring lighted torches as soon as you can. I will guardthe gate till you come."
So there Tom stood opposed to the whole awful crowd, with their glaringeyes, red tongues, and white-flashing teeth, with only a slight gatewaybetween him and death. When he thrust his rifle between the willow barsto take a shot, the beasts bit and tore at it, as if they would havedragged it from his grasp.
Aralia was busy helping Frank, and presently both came running up withlighted fir-torches, which Tom at once flung over the gate, together withpieces of burning peat and wood. These did splendid work, and after atime the terrible pack drew off.
There was no more sleep that night, however, and towards morning theattack began again. The foxes had dragged off their dead and wounded anddevoured them. In the gray light of morning they rushed to the gate oncemore, and the battle raged again in all its fury.
Poor little Pansy was trembling and shaking with fear as she looked upand saw that high up on the walls of the fort those savage, wild animalshad taken their stand.
It was a terrible morning, and hope seemed at last to fade, for evenbrave Tom had grown faint and weary, and could fight but little longer.
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