ion.

Thus, in games and rambles and conversation, the time passed by, until
it was the evening before the day that would bring _The Tattooed
Quaker_, and Chimp and his apprentice were sitting before the cave,
watching the sinking sun.

'Well,' said the Hermit, 'only a few more hours, Sim, and you will be on
the way home again. Then I must to work once more. My great work on Man
and his place in Society, scientifically considered, awaits me. But I
shall miss you, Sim,' the old man added; 'you have been a very pleasant
chapter in my life. Don't forget me altogether, will you; and you'll pay
my Aunt Amelia a visit, won't you, and tell her about me?'

Chimp had a little difficulty in replying. He felt girlish, that is to
say, gulpy and tearful. At last, 'Why don't you come back too?' he
asked.

'I?' said the Hermit. 'Oh no, there is no place for Hermits in your
country.'

'I don't know about that,' said Chimp, speaking more naturally again.
'You might make a lot of money showing yourself in caravans at fairs.
People would go miles to see a hermit. I paid a penny once to see a fat
woman, and there was no end of a squash in the tent. You must come. I'll
take you to my uncle's, where I live in the vacs. and Jim--that's my
cousin--Jim and me'll give you a ripping time.'

The Hermit smiled sadly. 'No, no,' he said. After a short silence he
spoke again. 'Tell me, Sim--I ask merely out of curiosity--are boys
always contented with their surroundings?'

'Not by a long chalk,' Chimp answered. 'They're always running away.'

'Ah!' said the Hermit. 'How often have you run away?'

'Well, not at all, so far,' said Chimp, 'although Goring minor and I did
get all ready to bunk once, only Mother Porker copped us on the landing.
But we meant it, I can tell you. We were going to walk to Portsmouth,
sleeping under hay ricks, and hide ourselves as stowaways on board a
man-of-war, and show up when we got to sea, and do something heroic to
please the Captain, and after that win loads of prize-money and come
back covered with glory. Boys often do that in books. But old Mother
Porker copped us on the landing.'

'Bed-time,' said the Hermit.

When they rose the next morning, there, in the offing, heading straight
for the island, was _The Tattooed Quaker_. They hurried to the peak, and
the Hermit waved his handkerchief. The signal was seen on deck, and an
answering flag scurried up to the mast-head. After breakfast Chimp and
his apprent