verified. He again descended, and collected a large bundle of grass and
rushes for his bed. He discovered growing among the rocks many edible
plants, whose seeds were probably sown there centuries before, and
gathering some of these he made his way back to the cavern. The grass
furnished him with an excellent bed, and he was soon asleep.




CHAPTER XV.

A HERMIT'S TALE.


The next day he discovered on his excursions plenty of eatable berries on
the bushes; and now that he had no longer fear of hunger he resolved to
stay for some little time, until his wounds, which had festered badly,
had recovered, before making an attempt to rejoin the Christian army.

One day when employed in gathering berries he was surprised by meeting a
wild-looking figure, who appeared suddenly from one of the caves. It was
that of a very old man, with an extremely long white beard flowing to his
waist; his hair, which was utterly unkempt, fell to the same point. He
was thin to an extraordinary extent, and Cuthbert wondered how a man
could have been reduced to such a state of starvation, with so plentiful
a supply of fruit and berries at hand.

The old man looked at Cuthbert attentively, and then made the sign of the
cross. Cuthbert gave a cry of joy, and repeated the sign. The old man at
once came down from his cavern, and looked at him with surprise and