think of getting both as soon as possible. I never had father or mother,
to my knowledge; nor house, nor home of any sort, but a ship. I forgot; I
was a hermit once, and set myself up in that trade, with a whole island to
myself; but I soon gave up all to natur', and got out of that scrape as
fast as I could. The business didn't suit me."

The old woman looked at Marble intently. I could see by her countenance
that the off-hand, sincere, earnest manner of the mate had taken some
unusual hold of her feelings.

"Hermit!" the good woman repeated with curiosity; "I have often heard and
read of such people; but you are not at all like them I have fancied to
be hermits."

"Another proof I undertook a business for which I was not fit. I suppose a
man before he sets up for a hermit ought to know something of his
ancestors, as one looks to the pedigree of a horse in order to find out
whether he is fit for a racer. Now, as I happen to know nothing of mine,
it is no wonder I fell into a mistake. It's an awkward thing, old lady,
for a man to be born without a name."

The eye of our hostess was still bright and full of animation, and I never
saw a keener look than she fastened on the mate, as he delivered himself
in this, one of his usual fits of misanthropical feeling.

"And were _you_ born without a name?" she asked, after gazing intently at
the other.

"Sartain. Everybody is born with only one name; but I happened to be born
without any name at all."