He was vastly puzzled.
"'Tis something I does wrong," he mused.

"Doctor Joe were sayin' the compass points right, and she is right.

'Tis wonderful strange though." He experimented again and discovered that if he did not hold the compass perfectly level the needle did not swing properly.

In his excitement he had doubtless tipped the compass, and with the needle thus bound he had been led astray.
He climbed to the top of the rock, and placing his compass in a level position, permitted the needle to swing to a stationary position.

He extracted a match from the tin box in his pocket and laid it upon the compass dial exactly parallel with the needle.