Now, then, you must go below, and resume your observations to-morrow. I took the exact time—seven p.m.—when you saw the star rise. You must look for it at seven to-morrow evening.”
At four minutes before seven the next night, up rose the pretty object, and stole a glance at the boy across the ocean.
“Father, father! it’s up, it’s up!” sang out the happy lad.
His father looked at his watch, and said—
“Your star did not come to his time. It was four minutes to seven o’clock when he appeared, and that is four minutes too soon.
How is that, father? I must ask you, for it is of no use asking the star.
Perhaps you will still wonder when I tell you that to-morrow evening it will be eight minutes to seven before it gets up at this place.
Why, this is like the sun among the stars—always getting out of his place. But the sun gets right after a year.
Do you think our star will ever get right—so as to rise at seven some other evening?
I do not know, father.