Page:The queen's museum, and other fanciful tales.djvu/23

 known to go fishing on days when there was no holiday. I have never seen the old man but once, and that was when he first took me. You know it wouldn't do for us to be too sociable. That wouldn't be hermit-like. He comes up here on the afternoons I am out, and writes down what I am to do for the next half-week.'

'And do you always do it?' asked the Stranger.

'Oh, I get some of it done,' said the Pupil; 'but there have been times when I have wondered whether it wouldn't have been better for me to have been something else. But I have chosen my profession, and I suppose I must be faithful to it. We will start immediately on our search; but first I must put the cave in order, for the old man will be sure to come up while I am gone.'

So saying, the Pupil opened an old