His  father  and  mother  had  been  killed  in  one  of
the  native  wars,  and  as  he  was  lonely  and  sad
he  gladly  accepted  the  invitation  of  the  captain
to  go  back  with  him  to  America.  The  boy  was
ignorant,  clumsy,  and  awkward,  and  had  little
about  him  that  was  bright  or  attractive  in  any
way  ;  but  the  captain  took  him  to  his  own  home
in  Boston  and  did  his  best  to  make  the  young
stranger  happy.  But  Obookiah  seemed  not
much  more  contented  than  when  in  his  native
land.  The  new  country  and  the  new  life  awoke
new  desires,  and  made  him  uneasy.  One  day  he
was  found,  by  a  man  who  was  passing  by,  sitting
on  the  steps  of  one  of  the  buildings  of  Yale  Col-
lege crying  as  though  his  heart  would  break.
"  What  is  the  matter,  my  lad  ?"  asked  the
stranger,  pausing  in  surprise  and  sympathy.
"Why  are  you  weeping  so  distressingly?"


l66  HEROES   OF   THE  SOUTH   SEAS.
"  Because  there  is  n't  anybody  to  teach  me
anything,"  whimpered  the  poor  boy,  rubbing  his
eyes  to  drive  away  the  tears.
