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friend Joe； the mussel…man。 He will know about boats。〃
〃I'd like to come too；〃 said Jip。
〃All right； come along；〃 said the Doctor； and off we went。
Joe said yes； he had a boatone he had just bought but it needed
three people to sail her。 We told him we would like to see it anyway。
So the mussel…man took us off a little way down the river and showed
us the neatest； prettiest； little vessel that ever was built。 She was called The
Curlew。 Joe said he would sell her to us cheap。 But the trouble was that the
boat needed three people； while we were only two。
〃Of course I shall be taking Chee…Chee；〃 said the Doctor。 〃But
although he is very quick and clever； he is not as strong as a man。 We
really ought to have another person to sail a boat as big as that。〃
〃I know of a good sailor； Doctor；〃 said Joe〃a first…class seaman who
would be glad of the job。〃
〃No； thank you； Joe；〃 said Doctor Dolittle。 〃I don't want any seamen。 I
couldn't afford to hire them。 And then they hamper me so； seamen do；
when I'm at sea。 They're always wanting to do things the proper way； and I
like to do them my wayNow let me see： who could we take with us？〃
〃There's Matthew Mugg； the cat's…meat…man；〃 I said。
〃No； he wouldn't do。 Matthew's a very nice fellow； but he talks too
much mostly about his rheumatism。 You have to be frightfully particular
whom you take with you on long voyages。〃
〃How about Luke the Hermit？〃 I asked。
〃That's a good ideasplendidif he'll come。 Let's go and ask him right
away。〃
THE SECOND CHAPTER
LUKE THE HERMIT
THE Hermit was an old friend of ours； as I have already told you。 He
was a very peculiar person。 Far out on the marshes he lived in a little bit of
a shackall alone except for his brindle bulldog。 No one knew where he
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came fromnot even his name。 just 〃Luke the Hermit〃 folks called him。
He never came into the town； never seemed to want to see or talk to
people。 His dog； Bob； drove them away if they came near his hut。 When
you asked anyone in Puddleby who he was or why he lived out in that
lonely place by himself； the only answer you got was； 〃Oh； Luke the
Hermit？ Well； there's some mystery about him。 Nobody knows what it is。
But there's a mystery。 Don't go near him。 He'll set the dog on you。〃
Nevertheless there were two people who often went out to that little
shack on the fens： the Doctor and myself。 And Bob； the bulldog； never
barked when he heard us coming。 For we liked Luke； and Luke liked us。
This afternoon； crossing the marshes we faced a cold wind blowing
from the East。 As we approached the hut Jip put up his ears and said；
〃That's funny！〃
〃What's funny？〃 asked the Doctor。
〃That Bob hasn't come out to meet us。 He should have heard us long
ago or smelt us。 What's that queer noise？〃
〃Sounds to me like a gate creaking；〃 said the Doctor。 〃Maybe it's
Luke's door； only we can't see the door from here； it's on the far side of the
shack。〃
〃I hope Bob isn't sick；〃 said Jip； and he let out a bark to see if that
would call him。 But the only answer he got was the wailing of the wind
across the wide； salt fen。
We hurried forward； all three of us thinking hard。
When we reached the front of the shack we found the door open；
swinging and creaking dismally in the wind。 We looked inside。 There was
no one there。
〃Isn't Luke at home then？〃 said I。 〃Perhaps he's out for a walk。〃
〃He is ALWAYS at home；〃 said the Doctor frowning in a peculiar sort
of way。 〃And even if he were out for a。 walk he wouldn't leave his door
banging in the wind behind him。 There is something queer about this
What are you doing in there； Jip？〃
〃Nothing muchnothing worth speaking of；〃 said Jip examining the
floor of the hut extremely carefully。
〃Come here； Jip；〃 said the Doctor in a stern voice。 〃You are hiding
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something from me。 You see signs and you know somethingor you guess
it。 What has happened？ Tell me。 Where is the Hermit？〃
〃I don't know；〃 said Jip looking very guilty and uncomfortable。 〃I don't
know where he is。〃
〃Well； you know something。 I can tell it from the look in your eye。
What is it？〃
But Jip didn't answer。
For ten minutes the Doctor kept questioning him。 But not a word
would the dog say。
〃Well；〃 said the Doctor at last； 〃it is no use our standing around here in
the cold。 The Hermit's gone。 That's all。 We might as well go home to
luncheon。〃
As we buttoned up our coats and started back across the marsh； Jip ran
ahead pretending he was looking for water…rats。
〃He knows something all right；〃 whispered the Doctor。 〃And I think he
knows what has happened too。 It's funny； his not wanting to tell me。 He
has never done that beforenot in eleven years。 He has always told me
everythingStrangevery strange！〃
〃Do you mean you think he knows all about the Hermit； the big
mystery about him which folks hint at and all that？〃
〃I shouldn't wonder if he did；〃 the Doctor answered slowly。 〃I noticed
something in his expression the moment we found that door open and the
hut empty。 And the way he sniffed the floor tooit told him something；
that floor did。 He saw signs we couldn't seeI wonder why he won't tell
me。 I'll try him again。 Here； Jip！ Jip！Where is the dog？ I thought he went
on in front。〃
〃So did I；〃 I said。 〃He was there a moment ago。 I saw him as large as
life。 JipJipJipJIP！〃
But he was gone。 We called and called。 We even walked back to the
hut。 But Jip had disappeared。
〃Oh well；〃 I said； 〃most likely he has just run home ahead of us。 He
often does that； you know。 We'll find him there when we get back to the
house。〃
But the Doctor just closed his coat…collar tighter against the wind and
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strode on muttering； 〃Oddvery odd！〃
THE THIRD CHAPTER
JIP AND THE SECR