They found him, quite tired out with his wanderings, peacefully sleeping on the forest moss.
With these escapades and a thousand others, Bobby kept his foster parents pretty constantly varying between a state of suspense and a state of joy, for they were vastly delighted when he emerged from an adventure, usually not much the worse for his experience.
Bobby's age was, of course, a matter of conjecture.

Abel and Mrs.Abel must needs have a definite date set down as his birthday, in order that it might be duly and appropriately celebrated each year, and as a convenient date they chose December 1 of the year in which he came to them as his fourth birthday.

This was a date when the autumn seal hunt would be finished, and the sea ice would be formed, when Abel might go to Nain with the dogs and bring back some sweets or other surprise.
Upon this reckoning Bobby was eight and Jimmy was twelve years of age when the two lads had their first real adventure together.

It was in the spring.

A westerly wind had cleared the bay of ice, and Abel and Skipper Ed had gone north in the big boat two days before for the spring seal hunt, and were not expected back for a fortnight.