Part 20 (1/2)
”They're both as tough as nuts or they never would have come out of that dip so well,” he said to hi
”I wonder what he'd have been if he'd never gone adrift and had never coed land I wonder if his rich parents, or the luxuries and frivolities of civilization, would have spoiled hirow up into a selfish, cowardly, and perhaps dissipated, weakling? I wonder if it's the rugged country and the rugged, hard life he lives, that have given hied, noble heart, or whether he'd have had it anyway?
”It's God's mystery God holds our destiny in His hands, and our destiny is His will Perhaps He sent the lad here to reat ilderness and boundless sea, and to fit him for some noble part that he is to play some time in life”
Skipper Ed knocked the ashes from his pipe
”Perhaps after all,” he mused, ”my life here has not been wasted
Perhaps my part in life was to teach these boys and help to broaden their life Perhaps that was the reason I drifted here and remained here Everystone to soher and better”
”Skipper!” Bobby ake and Skipper Ed's s were at an end
”Yes, son” He called Bobby ”son” sometimes, as a special mark of affection
”Did you find the _netsek_ andscaood,” said Bobby, ”for I couldn't hunt tomorroithout them”
”Hunt to you think of when you wake up? I'm not sure I'll let you hunt to”
”I'et out ofit if I don't”
”Stay where you are!” coht there
I have some fresh seal meat all cooked, and I'll ht?”
”Yes, he's sleeping, and I've no doubt he'll be all right in a day or two”
”Skipper,” said Bobby, as Skipper Ed threw a handful of tea into the si teakettle, ”do you knohat Jimmy did?”
”Why, yes He fell into the sea, and would have perished if you hadn't been so pro a hu any one wouldn't have done,” declared Bobby deprecatingly
”But ere on that cake of ice and it began to turn over, and Jione in we'd both have drowned, for we couldn't have got out with our _netseks_ on in that paralyzing cold, and Jimmy knew it, so he just juet out hi anybody could have done”
”Jumped in to save you? My partner a hero, too! I kneas in hih You're a pair of the bravest chaps I ever knew, and I'e and choky
”Oh, it was nothing for etting out--but Jimmy!”
”Here,” said Skipper Ed, ”is some fine tender seal ood for you And stop talking I knohat you did, you young husky”
Bobby laughed, and sipped the steaone into the water anyhohen the ice turned over, and therefore had no choice, and deserved no credit for what he did, but that Bobby did a very brave act And Bobby insisted that Jimmy had risked his life to save his, and was the bravest chap in the world And Skipper Ed insisted that both lads onderful heroes
So it comes about that you and I will have to decide for ourselves which was right, and as the hero