The face was almost entirely hidden by a tangled growth of beard as white as snow, which beard descended almost to the man's waist, and was of wonderful fineness and bushiness.

At the first glance the impression produced by this strange apparition was that he was a man immensely old; but a closer examination might well raise doubts.

The air and bearing of the man were strangely alert for an octogenarian, and the way in which he tackled the hard bread and cheese which still stood before him was scarcely like the fashion in which the aged generally eat.
Cuthbert held his breath as he gazed.

Was this a dream--the outcome of his talk with the gipsy?
No, he was awake; he became more and more sure of it.

But lying perfectly still, and not betraying his presence by so much as a deeply-drawn breath, he gazed and gazed as if fascinated upon the face of this strange being, and in his heart he said: "Long Robin himself!" He was certain of it; there could be no manner of mistake.