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shellfishand perhaps in finding some way of getting to the bottom of the
sea。 But now？He's gone！ And all his great knowledge has gone with
him。〃
Then he seemed to fall a…dreaming again。
〃Just to think of it！〃 he murmured。 〃Long Arrow and I； two students
Although I'd never met him； I felt as though I knew him quite well。 For； in
his waywithout any schoolinghe has； all his life； been trying to do the
very things which I have tried to do in mine And now he's gone！A
whole world lay between usAnd only a bird knew us both！〃
We went back into the study； where Jip brought the Doctor his slippers
and his pipe。 And after the pipe was lit and the smoke began to fill the
room the old man seemed to cheer up a little。
〃But you will go on some voyage； Doctor； won't you？〃 I asked〃even
if you can't go to find Long Arrow。〃
He looked up sharply into my face； and I suppose he saw how anxious
I was。 Because he suddenly smiled his old； boyish smile and said；
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〃Yes； Stubbins。 Don't worry。 We'll go。 We mustn't stop working and
learning； even if poor Long Arrow has disappearedBut where to go：
that's the question。 Where shall we go？〃
There were so many places that I wanted to go that I couldn't make up
my mind right away。 And while I was still thinking； the Doctor sat up in
his chair and said；
〃I tell you what we'll do； Stubbins： it's a game I used to play when I
was youngbefore Sarah came to live with me。 I used to call it Blind
Travel。 Whenever I wanted to go on a voyage； and I couldn't make up my
mind where to go； I would take the atlas and open it with my eyes shut。
Next； I'd wave a pencil； still without looking； and stick it down on
whatever page had fallen open。 Then I'd open my eyes and look。 It's a very
exciting game； is Blind Travel。 Because you have to swear； before you
begin； that you will go to the place the pencil touches； come what way。
Shall we play it？〃
〃Oh； let's！〃 I almost yelled。 〃How thrilling！ I hope it's China or
Borneoor Bagdad。〃
And in a moment I had scrambled up the bookcase； dragged the big
atlas from the top shelf and laid it on the table before the Doctor。
I knew every page in that atlas by heart。 How many days and nights I
had lingered over its old faded maps； following the blue rivers from the
mountains to the sea； wondering what the little towns really looked like；
and how wide were the sprawling lakes！ I had had a lot of fun with that
atlas； traveling； in my mind； all over the world。 I can see it now： the first
page had no map； it just told you that it was printed in Edinburgh in 1808；
and a whole lot more about the book。 The next page was the Solar System；
showing the sun and planets； the stars and the moon。 The third page was
the chart of the North and South Poles。 Then came the hemispheres； the
oceans； the continents and the countries。
As the Doctor began sharpening his pencil a thought came to me。
〃What if the pencil falls upon the North Pole；〃 I asked； 〃will we have
to go there？〃
〃No。 The rules of the game say you don't have to go any place you've
been to before。 You are allowed another try。 I've been to the North Pole；〃
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he ended quietly； 〃so we shan't have to go there。〃 I could hardly speak
with astonishment。
〃YOU'VE BEEN TO THE NORTH POLE！〃 I managed to gasp out at
last。 〃But I thought it was still undiscovered。 The map shows all the places
explorers have reached to； TRYING to get there。 Why isn't your name
down if you discovered it？〃
〃I promised to keep it a secret。 And you must promise me never to tell
any one。 Yes； I discovered the North Pole in April； 1809。 But shortly after
I got there the polar bears came to me in a body and told me there was a
great deal of coal there； buried beneath the snow。 They knew； they said；
that human beings would do anything； and go anywhere； to get coal。 So
would I please keep it a secret。 Because once people began coming up
there to start coal…mines； their beautiful white country would be spoiled
and there was nowhere else in the world cold enough for polar bears to be
comfortable。 So of course I had to promise them I would。 Ah； well； it will
be discovered again some day； by somebody else。 But I want the polar
bears to have their play…ground to themselves as long as possible。 And I
daresay it will be a good while yetfor it certainly is a fiendish place to
get toWell now； are we ready？Good！ Take the pencil and stand here
close to the table。 When the book falls open； wave the pencil round three
times and jab it down。 Ready？All right。 Shut your eyes。〃
It was a tense and fearful momentbut very thrilling。 We both had our
eyes shut tight。 I heard the atlas fall open with a bang。 I wondered what
page it was： England or Asia。 If it should be the map of Asia； so much
would depend on where that pencil would land。 I waved three times in a
circle。 I began to lower my hand。 The pencil…point touched the page。
〃All right；〃 I called out； 〃it's done。〃
THE TWELFTH CHAPTER
DESTINY AND DESTINATION
WE both opened our eyes； then bumped our heads together with a
crack in our eagerness to lean over and see where we were to go。
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The atlas lay open at a map called； Chart of the South Atlantic Ocean。
My pencil…point was resting right in the center of a tiny island。 The name
of it was printed so small that the Doctor had to get out his strong
spectacles to read it。 I was trembling with excitement。
〃Spidermonkey Island；〃 he read out slowly。 Then he whistled softly
beneath his breath。 〃Of all the extraordinary things！ You've hit upon the
very island where Long Arrow was last seen on earth I wonderWell；
well！ How very singular！〃
〃We'll go there； Doctor； won't we？〃 I asked。
〃Of course we will。 The rules of the game say we've got to。〃
〃I'm so glad it wasn't Oxenthorpe or Bristol；〃 I said。 〃It'll be a grand
voyage； this。 Look at all the sea we've got to cross。 Will it take us long？〃
〃Oh； no；〃 said the Doctor〃not