And the appearance of that sunset was in itself a sight to behold!
The sun was sinking slowly down to the north of west, and in a cloudless sky. It seemed a larger sun than our young heroes had ever yet beheld, and cast its reflection on the heaving waves ’twixt boat and horizon, in a very remarkable way; for although the sheen was bright, it was not dazzling. Nor was the sun itself. But nearer to the spot where our heroes stood, on the field of level ice betwixt them and the ice-caves, were many shades of opal and pearl.
“We must be moving,” said Ingomar, “at last, boys, or we will not get home to-night.”
“Oh!” cried Walter, “I wouldn’t mind staying here all night to look at the sky.”
“Nor I,” said Charlie. “I’d like to sleep in the snow. Nothing could harm us except the frost, and we should be in our sleeping-bags, so that couldn’t hurt much.”
“There are no snakes here, anyhow.” This from “wise Walter,” as Charlie sometimes called him chaffingly.
“No, Walt; and no burglars, either.”
There was one thing to be said for the dogs, Nick and Nora and Wallace. They had long ago fully made up their minds to enjoy themselves to the fullest extent, whenever they had the chance.
They were tearing round and round on the ice-floe at this moment, wriggling and jumping and playing at leap-frog, while Nick would pause every moment to fill his mouth with snow and fling it over his neighbour’s shoulders.
The boys must have just one more look at that sky before they entered the ice-cave.