"Praise God from whom all blessings flow."
When they had finished, at a signal from the Doctor, they all kneeled upon the icy pavement, and he offered up a fervent prayer of praise and thanksgiving for the preservation of their lives, and for the wonderful success that had attended their enterprise. Then in unison they repeated the Lord's prayer.
And what could be more appropriate? The echoes first awakened in this ultra-frigid region by the human voice were praises to God in song and prayer. The ends of the earth had bowed the knee to the Father Almighty, and it seemed to the little band to be the beginning of the good time foretold, when the glory of God shall cover the earth as the waters do the face of the deep.
"Now let us see what Sing has for breakfast, lunch, or whatever meal it may be. I have been so interested in our work the last few hours that I have paid no attention to time," said Dr. Jones.
A few moments later they were seated about their dining table, and no happier company could be found in Christendom that day.
"Did anyone note the time that we arrived here?" asked Will.
"At 7 o'clock, 45 min., 20 sec., August 6, 19—, we located the North Pole, and planted our steel rod as marker thereof," replied Professor Gray.
"What is the next thing on the program, Doctor?" asked Denison.
"We will immediately set about planting our aluminum flagstaff. We are liable to a terrible storm at any moment, and might be driven away before we had accomplished that important ceremony. It would possibly be months before we should encounter so favorable a gale again. Let us not rest until we have finished all we came to do, then away for home."
"It is all very well to say 'Plant the flagstaff'; but how on earth can we possibly set up a 300 foot metal pole at this extremity of the earth, without derrick, blocks and tackles, or any machinery whatever?" returned Denison.