exceedingly grateful to a hungry man. A low "Ho! ho!" behind him told
that his black companion was equally gratified.

The inner cave or mess-room, as the host styled it, combined dining-room
and kitchen, for while in one corner stood a deal table with plates,
cups, etcetera, but no tablecloth, in another stood a small stove,
heated by an oil-lamp, from which issued puffing and sputtering sounds,
and the savoury odours above referred to.

Nigel now perceived that although his strange host necessarily spoke a
good deal while welcoming him and offering him the hospitalities of his
abode, he was by no means communicative. On the contrary, it was
evident that he was naturally reserved and reticent, and that although
polite and gentle in the extreme, there was a quiet grave dignity about
him which discouraged familiarity. It must not be supposed, however,
that he was in any degree morosely silent. He was simply quiet and
undemonstrative, said little except when asked questions, and spoke,
alike to Nigel and Moses, in the soft, low, kindly tones with which one
might address very young people.

Going to the stove he took a coffee-pot therefrom and set it on the
table. At the same time, Moses, without requiring to be told, opened
the oven and brought forth fried fish, meat of some kind, and cakes of
he knew not what, but cared little, for their excellence was
unquestionable.

During the meal that followed, Nigel ventured as far as politeness
permitted--indeed a little further, if truth must be told--to inquire
into the circumstances and motives of his entertainer in taking up his
abode in such a strange place, but he soon found that his eccentric
friend was not one who could be "pumped." Without a touch of rudeness,
and in the sweetest of voices, he simply assumed an absent manner and
changed the subject of discourse, when he did not choose to reply, by
drawing attention to some irrelevant matter, or by putting a counter
question which led away from the subject. Nigel also found that his
host never laughed and rarely smiled, though, when he did so, the smile
was so slight as merely to indicate a general feeling of urbanity and
goodwill, and it was followed instantly by a look of gravity, if not
sadness. Altogether the guest was much perplexed about the host at
first, and somewhat constrained in consequence, but gradually he began
to feel at ease. Another discovery that he soon made was, that the
hermit treated Mose