"No. You can't have a plurality of hermit. A hermit is a hermit, and he is all by himself. If a lot of people come and live in the same place he is a hermit no longer."

"Solitaires," suggested Duncan.

Conal laughed aloud.

"Why," he cried, "you stupid old Duncan, a solitaire is a sleeve-link or collar-stud or something."

"Foresters, then."

"Fiddlesticks! The forest is miles away."

"Treasure-hunters?"

"That's better. And we'd best leave it at that."

"Well, having made everything snug, suppose we go and see the fat king again."

"Good! and then go and fish. There is a nice little stream down here, and we might even have a peep into the forest."