The Yellow Man , whose name was Kitai , had with him a brown box . In the box was a blue bowl with red marks upon the rim , and within the bowl , hanging from a fine thread , was a piece of iron no thicker than that grass stem , and as long , maybe , as my spur , but straight . In this iron , said Witta , abode an Evil Spirit which Kitai , the Yellow Man , had brought by Art Magic out of his own country that lay three years ' journey southward . The Evil Spirit strove day and night to return to his country , and therefore , look you , the iron needle pointed continually to the South . ' ` South ? ' said Dan suddenly , and put his hand into his pocket . ` With my own eyes I saw it . Every day and all day long , though the ship rolled , though the sun and the moon and the stars were hid , this blind Spirit in the iron knew whither it would go , and strained to the South . Witta called it the Wise Iron , because it showed him his way across the unknowable seas . ' Again Sir Richard looked keenly at the children . ` How think ye ? Was it sorcery ? ' ` Was it anything like this ? ' Dan fished out his old brass pocket-compass , that generally lived with his knife and key-ring . ` The glass has got cracked , but the needle waggles all right , sir . ' The knight drew a long breath of wonder . ` Yes , yes ! The Wise Iron shook and swung in just this fashion . Now it is still . Now it points to the South . '
` North , ' said XXXXX .
Dan Kitai Man Richard South Spirit Witta day night pocket-compass