"We thought you were an Eskimo, and" laughing, "the men apparently thought you were a ghost. You gave them a fine fright."
"I didn't mean to frighten them," said Bobby apologetically. "I only wanted them to take me off the ice."
"Take you off the ice? Why, how did you get on it? We thought perhaps you were hunting."
"I was hunting," explained Bobby, "but now I'm adrift. I'm Bobby Zachariah, from Abel's Bay. The ice broke loose and cut Jimmy and me off from Skipper Ed, and Jimmy's drowned—"
Tears came into Bobby's eyes and he choked at the recollection.
"I'm Frederick Winslow," said the man kindly and sympathetically, taking Bobby's hand, "and this is my nephew Edward Norman. We do not know where Abel's Bay is, nor who Skipper Ed and Jimmy are, but we're glad we found you, and you're to go with us to the ship, and then you can tell us about it, and there'll be a way to send you home to Abel's Bay."
"Edward Norman!" exclaimed Bobby. "Why, that's Skipper Ed's name!"
"Who is Skipper Ed?" inquired Mr. Winslow. "But never mind. Don't explain now. You must be nearly starved if you've been adrift long. Come with us."
"I've been over a week—nearly two weeks, I think," said Bobby, "but I'm not hungry. I've had plenty of seals. Let me get my snow knife, sir. It's in the igloo."