ve the horizon.

The campers began to move about. Wood was piled upon the ashes where
the last embers of the old fire still smoldered, and the crackling of a
match was followed by a blaze.

Some of the campers prepared breakfast, while one of them approached Old
Rocks, whom he questioned concerning the Hermit.

"Yer know purty derned nigh ez much 'bout him ez I do," grunted the
guide. "All I know is thet he's bin hyar in ther park fer ther last y'ar
ur so. Some galoots has said as how he wuz cracked in ther upper story,
but I'll allow thet's a mistake. Yer heard t'other gent admit thet he'd
done the Hermit a crooked turn, an' I reckons thet's whut makes ther
Hermit whut he is. Now I've tol' yer whutever I know 'bout ther Hermit,
mebbe ye'll give me a few p'ints 'bout t'other gent?"

"We know nothing in particular of him, save that he seems to be a man of
leisure and means, rather melancholy, given to fits of despondency,
followed by spells of wild hilarity."

A queer look came into the guide's eye, and he asked:

"How much o' it does he drink a day?"

"How much what?"

"Hilarity. Does he kerry it in quart bottles, or by ther gallon?"

"He does drink at times," admitted the camper; "but he declares that he
hates liquor, and I believe him. He seems to take it to drown memory."

"Wa-al, he may drown memory fer an hour ur so, but he'll find it comes
back a derned sight harder when he lets up on drinkin'."

Rocks lighted his pipe, settled himself into a comfortable position, and
began to smoke.

The fire was burning brightly, and a blackened coffee-pot was brought
forth. As soon as there were some coals, the pot was placed upon them,
and it soon began to simmer and send forth a delightful odor, making
Frank ravenously hungry.

Old Rocks was hungry, but he showed no symptom of it, smoking on
indifferently, all the while keeping an eye on the Hermit and Fairfax.

Frank offered to pay for something to eat and a cup of coffee; but the
campers declined to take anything, telling him he was welcome. They then
offered Old Rocks something, and the guide accepted gracefully.

For nearly an hour the Hermit and Foster Fairfax talked. The manner of
both became subdued, and the strange man of the park seemed to have lost
his desire to meet Fairfax in a deadly encounter.

All at once they parted, and the Hermit hurried away, while Fairfax
walked back toward the camp.

Old Rocks shouted to the Hermit, but the man paid no