"I suppose you've explored the places around here?" the blacksmith said enquiringly.
"We've been for several long walks with mother and Jane," Jack answered, "and father takes us fishing with him sometimes."
"Have you never been to the Hermit's Cave?"
"No!" Theodore replied quickly. "Where is it? What is it? Is it far?"
Seth Stanley went to the doorway of his shop, the boys following, and pointed to the range of hills which stretched before their eyes in the distance, bathed in the bright spring sunshine.
"Do you see that Tor, the highest of the lot, the one with a mass of granite rocks near the top?"
"Yes!" the boys responded eagerly. "Is the Hermit's Cave there?"
"Nearly at the highest point of the hill on the north side. Folks can't decide whether Nature or man formed the cave. 'Tis made of granite, as though hewn out of the rock; and many years ago there was a great granite boulder in front of the opening, but that was rolled away long since. 'Tis said a hermit lived and died there; and, as in the case of Moses, no one but God knows where he was buried, but I can't vouch whether that's true or not."
"What is a hermit?" Theodore questioned.
"Oh, Theo, don't you know?" Jack cried. "There are no hermits now-a-days, at least I don't think there are, but they used to be very holy men, who lived alone, and spent their lives in prayer. I suppose they were very good," he added doubtfully, "but it seems rather a silly idea to live away from everyone else, doesn't it?"