“Since you came last it was my duty to call upon you and I should have done so to-day had not the weather been threatening a little while ago.”
“We can afford to waive ceremony while in the woods,” replied Alvin; “we shall count upon seeing you both quite often.”
“You certainly shall. To-morrow is Sunday, and if it clears up you may expect me and possibly Mrs. Spellman and our little one.”
In answer to the inquiring look of her husband the wife nodded.
“Don’t fancy that you can do your visiting without taking me along. You left me home yesterday.”
“That, my dear, was unintentional; I had no thought of stopping at the cabin of the hermit until I had been out some time in the canoe and noticed the path leading to his cabin.”
Alvin related the particulars of the call of himself and friends upon Uncle Elk and the clever manner in which he penetrated the personality of Doctor Spellman.
“Are you acquainted with him?” asked Chester Haynes of their host.
“Only by reputation. He is known as Elkanah Sisum, though I have a suspicion—perhaps not well founded—that that is not his right name. I have been told that he is a man of superior culture. In fact, a glance at his book shelves proves that. It is said that a great sorrow drove him into the wilderness and made an exile of him. I have no knowledge of its nature, but of course,” added the doctor with a wink, “some woman was at the bottom of it.”
“An unnecessary remark,” replied the wife, “since that is rarely true.”