"But think of the summer, when it is light all day and all night, too," said Sigrid. "Then they have fun enough to make up for the winter."
"I never could understand about our long nights in winter and our long days in summer," spoke Hilma Berling.
"It is because we live so near the North Pole," Oscar told her. "Now that Commander Peary of the United States of America has really discovered the North Pole, perhaps the geographies will make it easier to understand how the sun juggles with the poles and circles.
"I am sorry that it has been discovered," he added. "I always meant to do it myself, when I got old enough to discover anything."
"If I could stand on the top of Mount Dundret and see the sun shining at midnight, I am sure I could understand about it without any geography," Gerda declared.
"If you should go north with Herr Lighthouse-Inspector Ekman this summer, you might meet the little girl who receives this box," said Sigrid.
"I should know her the minute I saw her," Gerda said decidedly.
"How would you know her?" questioned Birger. "You don't even know her name or where she lives. Father is going to give the box to the lighthouse-master at Luleå, and he will decide where to send it."
"Oh, there are ways!" replied Gerda. "And besides, she would have on my rainbow skirt."
That night, after the children had trooped down the stairs and away to their homes, and after Gerda and Birger had said good-night and gone to their beds, the father and mother sat by the table, talking over plans for the summer.