midnight
Accordingly they pushed on up the Hare Indian a number of days until , in fact , the extra supplies of gasoline which had been taken aboard on leaving the MacKenzie dwindled to the point where it became advisable for the party to go ashore in order that the schooner might turn about and have sufficient fuel to make its way downstream to the supply depot . It was a period of time that , in fact , however , could hardly be considered in terms of days . So far north had the party come that the sun shone perpetually . It was only at midnight , for a brief space , that it dipped to the horizon . And what a gorgeous time it had proven to be for all concerned , but especially for the boys . As the powerful little schooner forged ahead , there was not a bend the rounding of which did not afford a surprise . Sometimes it would be caribou or reindeer , probably an escape from some Eskimo herd , which would be surprised standing in the water , and breaking for the timber on the bank at their approach .