"How about Luke the Hermit?" I asked.

"That's a good idea--splendid--if he'll come. Let's go and ask
him right away."



THE SECOND CHAPTER

LUKE THE HERMIT

THE Hermit was an old friend of ours, as I have already told you.
He was a very peculiar person. Far out on the marshes he lived
in a little bit of a shack--all alone except for his brindle
bulldog. No one knew where he came from--not even his name, just
"Luke the Hermit" folks called him. He never came into the town;
never seemed to want to see or talk to people. His dog, Bob,
drove them away if they came near his hut. When you asked anyone
in Puddleby who he was or why he lived out in that lonely place
by himself, the only answer you got was, "Oh, Luke the Hermit?
Well, there's some mystery about him. Nobody knows what it is.
But there's a mystery. Don't go near him. He'll set the dog on
you."

Nevertheless there were two people who often went out to that
little shack on the fens: the Doctor and myself. And Bob, the
bulldog, never barked when he heard us coming. For we liked Luke;
and Luke liked us.

This afternoon, crossing the marshes we faced a cold wind blowing