ut it needed three
people to sail her. We told him we would like to see it anyway.

So the mussel-man took us off a little way down the river and showed
us the neatest, prettiest, little vessel that ever was built. She was
called The Curlew. Joe said he would sell her to us cheap. But the
trouble was that the boat needed three people, while we were only two.

"Of course I shall be taking Chee-Chee," said the Doctor. "But although
he is very quick and clever, he is not as strong as a man. We really
ought to have another person to sail a boat as big as that."

"I know of a good sailor, Doctor," said Joe--"a first-class seaman who
would be glad of the job."

"No, thank you, Joe," said Doctor Dolittle. "I don't want any seamen.
I couldn't afford to hire them. And then they hamper me so, seamen do,
when I'm at sea. They're always wanting to do things the proper way; and
I like to do them my way--Now let me see: who could we take with us?"

"There's Matthew Mugg, the cat's-meat-man," I said.

"No, he wouldn't do. Matthew's a very nice fellow, but he talks too
much--mostly about his rheumatism. You have to be frightfully particular
whom you take with you on long voyages."

"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 from
the East. As we approached the hut Jip put up his ears and said,

"That's funny!"

"What's funny?" asked the Doc