"Good boy! Neither do I. But I'm sorry I can't agree with you that the mystery is in this old mansion."
"Why?" asked Sammy, who liked to stick to a point.
"Because the hermit and I, so far as I know, are the only ones on this part of the island. If there was anyone else here Maybe would have routed him out long ago; wouldn't you, Maybe?"
The dog barked, and wagged his tail.
But Sammy Brown was not satisfied. The old mansion, that had been used for a hotel, when the upper part of Pine Island had been a Summer resort, looked strange enough to hide any sort of a mystery, and the boy made up his mind he would get at the bottom of this one.
"We've got two things to do while we're here," Sammy told himself. "One is to find out who has been taking Mr. Jessup's stuff, and the other is to find out what the hermit is doing here."
Instead of being worried over the seemingly hard work, Sammy Brown was delighted. It gave him a chance to do something, and this always pleased the lad.
"Well," said Mr. Jessup, after a pause, "there's no need of staying here unless you want to. Better come on to my cabin, and we'll have a meal. Then you can unpack, and get your bearings. Are you warm enough?"
"Oh, yes, indeed!" exclaimed Frank. "Mother made me put on my heavy clothes."