CHAPTER XV.
A HERMIT'S TALE.
The next day he discovered on his excursions plenty of eatable berries on the bushes; and now that he had no longer fear of hunger he resolved to stay for some little time, until his wounds, which had festered badly, had recovered, before making an attempt to rejoin the Christian army.
One day when employed in gathering berries he was surprised by meeting a wild-looking figure, who appeared suddenly from one of the caves.

It was that of a very old man, with an extremely long white beard flowing to his waist; his hair, which was utterly unkempt, fell to the same point.

He was thin to an extraordinary extent, and Cuthbert wondered how a man could have been reduced to such a state of starvation, with so plentiful a supply of fruit and berries at hand.
The old man looked at Cuthbert attentively, and then made the sign of the cross.

Cuthbert gave a cry of joy, and repeated the sign.

The old man at once came down from his cavern, and looked at him with surprise and astonishment, and then addressed him in the French language.
"Are you a Christian truly; and if so, whence do you come ?" Cuthbert at once explained that he had been taken prisoner when with King Richard's army, and had effected his escape.