ps working all together in this
way we may guide someone else to a great destiny.

"We are just hunters and fishermen. Aside from our own two families, we
don't see many people, except the missionary down at Nain, and the
Eskimos at the settlement there, and now and again in summer the
fishermen on passing schooners. But that doesn't matter. Here Destiny
placed us, and here is our work, and we must do it the best we can.

"We should work hard when we have work to do; we should play hard when
we are at play; we should think hard when we are neither working nor
playing. We should not waste time idling. We should do our level best to
fit ourselves for our destiny, whatever it may be."

This was one of many conversations of the sort that Skipper Ed had with
the boys. He was their comrade, their teacher, their adviser, and their
inspiration. And, be it said, with the constant inspiration, also, of
the great wilderness and sea, with no other youthful companions or
playmates, and with little of the joy of sports with which boys in
civilization are blessed, it was but natural that they should feel more
deeply the responsibility of life, and should ponder and take to heart
more seriously Skipper Ed's philosophy, than they would had their lot
been cast in a city or a town.

It is not to be supposed, however, that they never got into mischief.
They were too full of life and energy to avoid that. But they were
seldom or never instructed _not_ to do this or that, and their mischief
was usually the result of indiscretion and error of judgment natural to
youth, rather than disobedience. Eskimos do not whip or punish their
children. They treat them rather, as comrades, and the boy's effort is
to do as nearly as he can the things his elders do and in the manner in
which they do them.

And this was the case with Abel and Mrs. Abel and Bobby. They never
punished Bobby. It was the case also with Skipper Ed and Jimmy. Skipper
Ed, from the first, called Jimmy his partner, and talked to him and
treated him very much as he would have done had Jimmy been a grown-up.

From the very beginning Bobby had his escapades, which usually included
adventures. During the first summer after his arrival he fell into the
water with due regularity, but always, fortunately, within reach of
Abel's or Mrs. Abel's strong arms. Once he climbed into the big boat,
undid the painter, and the tide had carried him well out to sea before
his plight was discovered