Page 83 - A Little Bush Maid

The Hermit laughed.

"No," he said, "T take very good care not to leave tracks if T can avoid it.
You see, T’m a solitary fellow, Miss Norah, and prefer, as a rule, to keep to

myself. Apart from that, T often leave camp for the greater part of the day
when T’m fishing or hunting, and T’ve no wish to point out the way to my
domain to any wanderers. Not that T’ve much to lose, still there are some

things. Picture my harrowed feelings were T to return some evening and
find my beloved frying-pan gone!"

Norah laughed.

"Tt would be awful," she said.

"So T planned my camp very cunningly," continued the Hermit, "and T can
tell you it took some planning to contrive it so that it shouldn’t be too easily
visible."

"Well, it isn’t from the side T came on it," Norah put in; "T never dreamed of

anything being there until T was right on the camp. Tt did surprise me!"

"And me," said the Hermit drily. "Well that is how T tried to arrange camp,

and you could be within a dozen yards of it on any side without imagining
that any was near."

"But surely you must have made some sort of a track leading away from it,"
said Jim, "unless you fly out!"

The Hermit laughed.

"T’ll show you later how T manage that," he said.

The bush grew denser as the little party, led by the Hermit, pushed along,
and Jim was somewhat surprised at the easy certainty with which their

guide led the way, since there was no sign of a track. Being a silent youth,
he held his tongue on the matter; but Wally was not so reserved.