"So it does, sir," the blacksmith agreed, "but I've heard tell those old hermits were a great deal thought of in their time, and I suppose they fancied they were doing right. Perhaps they did the best they knew, and if so, they couldn't do more, as God will remember at the Judgment Day."
"I think we ought to be going now," Jack remarked regretfully, "or mother will wonder where we are. May we come to see you again?"
"I shall be very pleased to see both of you whenever you honour me with a visit," Seth Stanley responded heartily, a pleasant smile brightening his dark countenance. "Good morning to you, young gentlemen!"
"Good morning!" shouted the boys as they ran across the green, looking back and waving their hands to their new friend, who stood watching them till they turned down the road which led to Blackburn Farm.
"Jack," said Theodore, as out of breath they slackened their pace, "wouldn't you like to see the Hermit's Cave?"
"Indeed I should! Shall we ask mother to take us there one day?" Jack suggested.
"No, no!" Theodore cried hastily. "It would be much nicer if we went by ourselves, then we could pretend we were explorers, don't you see?"
"Yes; but do you think mother would allow us to go alone?"
"She lets us go about the village by ourselves, and sometimes we're away hours. Oh, Jack, let's go alone! Fancy how jolly it would be! We would play that we were in a foreign country, where no one but savages had ever been before! Oh, it would be splendid!"
Jack agreed that it would. There was a charming novelty in the idea, which was very alluring.