and Mrs. Abel, but of Skipper Ed, as well.
It was not long after the ice came that the missionary from Nain visited
them, and met Bobby for the first time. He was a tall, jolly man, and
made much of Bobby, asking many questions about the manner of Bobby's
coming.
"It is very strange," said he. "Shall I not take him, Abel, to the
Mission, and care for him there? You do not want a white child."
But there was such a protest from both Abel and his wife, who insisted
that Bobby was their own child, sent them by God, that the missionary
never again suggested taking him from them. When the mail left the
coast, however, the following summer, he wrote to England a full
description of the occurrence, and the fact of Bobby's rescue and
whereabouts was published far and wide in British papers, but no
inquiries ever came of it, and no one came to claim Bobby.
But we must not linger over this period of Bobby's life. When he was
five years of age Skipper Ed began his lessons, coming over to Abel
Zachariah's cabin as often as possible, for the purpose, and now and
again he would take Bobby to his own cabin to stop a day or two with him
and Jimmy.
He supplied Bobby with the books he needed, and Bobby studied hard and
learned quickly, and was fascinated with the work, for Skipper Ed had
the rare faculty of making study appear a pleasant game, and it was a
game which Bobby loved to play.
There was little else, indeed, to occupy his attention during long
winter evenings--no streets to play in, no parties, no theaters--and he
made more rapid progress than he probably would have made had he
attended school in civilization, for Skipper Ed was a good tutor and
Jimmy, who was already quite a scholar, was also of great help to Bobby
in preparing lessons.
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