"Wonderfully!" said I.
"An' so strong as a bull?"
"To be sure."
"An' t' stapil can't last much longer--eh, maister? so old an'
rusty as 'e be?"
"One would hardly think so."
"Not so long as a tur'ble vig'rus man, like I be?" he inquired,
with a certain wistful appeal in his eyes.
"No," I answered impulsively.
"I knowed it--I knowed it," he chuckled, feebly brandishing his
stick, "such a poor old stapil as 'tis, all eat up wi' rust.
Every time I come 'ere a-gatherin' watercress, I come in an' give
un a look, an' watch un rustin' away, an' rustin' away; I'll see
un go fust, arter all, so I will!" and, with another nod at the
staple, he turned, and hobbled out into the sunshine.
And seeing how, despite his brave showing, he labored to carry
the heavy basket, I presently took it from him, disregarding his
protests, and set off by his side; yet, as we went, I turned once
to look back at the deserted hut.
"You 'm thinkin' 'tis a tur'ble bad place at night?" said the
old man.
"On the contrary," I answered, "I was thinking it might suit a
homeless man like me very well indeed."
"D'ye mean--to live there?" exclaimed the Ancient.
"Yes," said I.
"Then you bean't afraid o' the ghost?"
"No," I answered.
"P'r'aps you be one o' they fules as think theer bean't no
ghosts?"
"As to that," I answered, "I don't know, but I don't think I
should be much afraid, and it is a great blessing to have some
spot on this unfriendly world that we can call 'home'--even
though it be but a hut, and haunted."
In a little while the path we followed led up a somewhat steep
ascent which, though not so precipitous as the place where I had
entered the hollow, was a difficult climb, notwithstanding;
seeing which, I put out a hand to aid my aged companion. But he
repulsed me almost sharply: "Let be," he panted, "let be, nobody's never 'elped me up this
'ere path, an' nobody never shall!" So up we went, the Ancient
and I, side by side, and very slowly, until, the summit being
reached, he seated himself, spent and breathless, upon a fallen
tree, which had doubtless served this purpose many times before,
and mopped at his wrinkled brow with a trembling hand.