At the head of Abel's
bay and a mile from Abel's home, he took up the life of hunter and
fisherman, and in due time learned to speak the Eskimo language. Here
Skipper Ed lived with his little partner, as he called him--Jimmy
Sanderson, a husky lad of seven years.
Jimmy was an orphan. His mother died when he was so young that he could
scarcely remember her at all. His father, a Newfoundland sailor and
fisherman, was one of the crew of a fishing schooner that sailed
regularly each summer to this part of the Labrador coast, and because
there was no one at home to care for him after his mother's death, Jimmy
always accompanied his father on these voyages. And thus it came about
that when Seaman Sanderson fell overboard while reefing the jib, one
stormy day, Jimmy was left alone in the world.
It so happened that on the day Jimmy's father was lost, the schooner,
with the forlorn little boy on board, took refuge under the lee of the
island upon which Skipper Ed had his fishing camp. Skipper Ed, after the
manner of the Coast, rowed his boat alongside and climbed aboard, to
hear such scraps of news from the outside world as the sailors might
bring, and to enjoy their company for an hour. Here he met Jimmy,
heartbroken and weeping at the loss of his father. Skipper Ed's
sympathies went out to the wretched little boy, and placing his big hand
on Jimmy's small shoulder, he comforted him.
"There, there, now, lad, don't cry," said he. "You're a wee bit of a lad
to be left alone in the world I know, but by the mercy of God you'll
forget your trouble, for Time's a wonderful healer.
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