However, the sun shone bright, and it cast a strong shadow from the stakes which they had driven into the ground. Jonas soon went away to his work, and left Rollo to mark the hours by means of the clock.
So Rollo had to go into the house very often to see what time it was; and at last his father, who was sitting there at his writing, asked him what made him want to see the clock so much. Rollo told him the reason. So his father put down his pen, and came out to see the dial.
When he saw the two stakes, with their lower ends driven into the ground, and the upper ends nailed firmly together, he looked at them with a smile, but did not say any thing.
“Will that do?” said Rollo, looking up very eagerly into his father’s face.
His father did not answer, but continued to examine the work on all sides, with a countenance expressive of curiosity and pleasure.
“It points to the North Star, exactly,” added Rollo. “Jonas sighted it.”
“Yes,” said his father; “I think that will do; you have got quite a respectable gnomon.”
“Gnomon?” said Rollo.
“Yes,” said his father; “we call such a thing a gnomon. In common dials, they are made of brass; but I don’t see why this won’t do very well. It is rather a large gnomon.”