And now, as we drew near the turn, I saw that the place where the homestead had stood was empty, and all that remained was a heap of blackened stone and brick thickly overgrown with brambles.
Fifty yards farther down the road we came upon an old man sitting on the fence, smoking a pipe.

He wore a tattered old brown felt hat and overalls, and his long gray hair and beard were tangled and unkempt.

I passed the time of day and he answered me civilly enough, although vacantly; and I saw that his eye had the red film of the drunkard.

When I asked him for Quirk, the schoolmaster, who used to live thereabout he gave a mirthless chuckle.
"My name's Quirk," said he; "but it's fifteen years since I taught school.

How did you come to know of me ?" Could this be Quirk--this aged and decrepit old man! Somewhere beneath that mat of hair and beard, did there remain traces of those good-natured lineaments that were wont to set the boys in a roar?
I scanned his face closely.