“Yes.”
“Then, at Cape Prince of Wales you must have seen the midnight sun?”
“Yes, in June.”
“If the sun’s rays shone straight, you must have had then as many hours of continuous darkness in December as you had of continuous daylight in June. Did you?”
“No,” said Johnny. “We had three or four hours of sun every day, even in December.”
“Then,” said Pant, smiling, “the sun’s rays must have been bent that they might reach you. In fact, the rays of light never travel straight. So long! I’ll leave you now to think that over. See you at our next stand. Hope I can tell you then who has your diamond ring.”
He vanished into the night, leaving Johnny to stare after him in wonder and admiration.
“Some day,” Johnny said to himself, “I’ll hear the story of the black leopard.”
CHAPTER XII
JOHNNY WINS DOUBLE PAY
Johnny had scarcely reached the cluster of tents that loomed large in the darkness, when he was startled by a sudden wild burst of activity. Men and boys rushed silently here and there; lanterns and searchlights flashed from place to place. For a second he stood there paralyzed. What was it, a fire or an approaching cyclone?