The cabin door now opened, and there stood, in the shadow of the light, the figure of an old man bent with age, and dressed in the skin of a wolf, the long fur of which gave him more the appearance of an animal than a human being.

His face was like colored parchment, his mouth and cheeks wrinkled and sunken, his eyes small, black and bright, his long, white hair and flowing beard, his bony hands, which he raised every few moments and held over his long white eyelashes, as a shield to his sight, gave him a strange and witch-like appearance.
There the two men, the figure in the door and Tite, stood for several minutes gazing in silence, but with a look of astonishment, at each other.

The animals and fowls had gathered in a group about the old man, alarmed at the sight of a stranger.

At length a thin, shrill voice broke the silence by enquiring: "Who is it that comes here to disturb my peace ?" "We are friends," replied Tite, "shipwrecked sailors, in search of shelter and food." [Illustration: The cabin door now opened, and there stood, in the shadow of the light, the figure of an old man bent with age, and dressed in the skin of a wolf.

Page 216.] "Heaven pity you, and forgive me," returned the old man, his eyes beaming brighter and his whole manner becoming more earnest.