noon
It was the first blow of the fell destroyer in the midst of their little community , which could ill spare the life even of one of the lower animals , and they felt as if the point of the wedge had now been entered , and might be driven farther home ere long . The expressive delight of the poor dogs on being admitted to the light of the cabin showed how ardently they longed for the return of the sun . It was now the beginning of December , and the darkness was complete . Not the faintest vestige of twilight appeared , even at noon . Midnight and noonday were alike . Except when the stars and aurora were bright , there was not light enough to distinguish a man 's form at ten paces distant , and a blacker mass than the surrounding darkness alone indicated where the high cliffs encompassed the Bay of Mercy . When , therefore , anyone came on deck , the first thing he felt on groping his way about was the cold noses of the dogs pushed against his hands , as they frisked and gambolled round him .