“Sure. This makes the third time, an’ I guess as I’ve got through this safely, I’m all right now.”
“Well, that’s one way of looking at it,” declared Walt with a grin, “but once would be quite enough for me.”
“Anyhow, it didn’t rain,” said the hermit triumphantly. “I told yer it wouldn’t.”
It was all the boys could do to keep from breaking out into hearty laughter at the strange old man who seemed to mind being hit by lightning no more than any ordinary occurrence.
“Waal, now I’ve got to stitch all them rags together agin,” he said presently in a complaining tone, regarding the scattered collection of stuff that had been torn off him by the lightning.
“Gracious! I should think you’d get a new outfit,” declared Jack.
The hermit glowered at him.
“Git a new outfit? What’d I git a new outfit fer? Ain’t them clothes as good as ever? All they want is stitching together agin and they’ll be as good as new.”
So saying, he went outside, for the storm had passed over by this time, and began gathering his scattered raiment.