take lodgings near a monastery, and have the
monks come and write for me,--a different one every day."

Walkirk smiled. "Since you wish me to select your retreat," he said, "I
am bound to have an opinion regarding it. I might advise a visit to the
Trappists of Kentucky, or to some remote fishing and hunting region; but
it strikes me that a background made up of exclusive association with
men would be very apt to bring out in strong relief any particular
female image which you might have in your mind. I should say that the
best way of getting rid of such an image would be to merge it in a lot
of other female images."

"Away with the idea!" I cried. "Walkirk, I will neither merge nor
relieve. I will go with you to some place where we shall see neither men
nor women; where we can hunt, fish, sail, sleep, read, smoke, and banish
the world. I don't wish you to take a servant. We can do without
service, and if necessary I can cook. I put the whole matter in your
hands, Walkirk, and when you have decided on our destination let me
know."

The next afternoon Walkirk found me at my club in the city, and informed
me that he had selected a place which he thought would suit my purposes.

"No people?" I asked.

"None but ourselves," replied he.

"Very good," said I. "When can we start?"

"I shall be ready to-morrow afternoon," he answered, "and I will call
for you at your house."

XXIII.

RACKET ISLAND.

We traveled all night, and early in the morning alighted at a small
station, on the shore of a broad bay. Here we found moored a cat-rigged
sailboat, of which Walkirk took possession, and we stowed therein the
valises, guns, and fishing tackle which we had brought with us. I
examined the craft with considerable interest. It was about twenty feet
long, had a small cabin divided into two compartments, and appeared to
be well stocked with provisions and other necessaries.

"Is it to be a long cruise?" I said to Walkirk; "and do you know how to
sail a boat?"

"With this wind," he answered, "we should reach our destination in a
couple of hours, and I consider myself a very fair skipper."

"Up sail, then," I cried, "and I am not in the least hurry to know where
I am going."

Walkirk sailed a boat very well, but he did it in rather an odd way, as
if he had learned it all out of a book, and never had handled a tiller
before. I am not a bad amateur sailor myself, but I gave no
consideration to the management of our