WhenwereachedthehousethefirstquestiontheDoctoraskedofDab-Dabinthehallwas, "No,"saidDab-Dab,"Ihaven'tseenhim." "Letmeknowthemomenthecomesin,willyou,please?"saidtheDoctor,hanginguphishat. "CertainlyIwill,"saidDab-Dab."Don'tbelongoverwashingyourhands;thelunchisonthetable." Justasweweresittingdowntoluncheoninthekitchenweheardagreatracketatthefrontdoor.Iranandopenedit.InboundedJip. "Doctor!"hecried,"comeintothelibraryquick. I'vegotsomethingtotellyou—No,Dab-Dab,theluncheonmustwait.Pleasehurry,Doctor.There'snotamomenttobelost. Don'tletanyoftheanimalscome—justyouandTommy." "Now,"hesaid,whenwewereinsidethelibraryandthedoorwasclosed,"turnthekeyinthelockandmakesurethere'snoonelisteningunderthewindows." "It'sallright,"saidtheDoctor."Nobodycanhearyouhere.Nowwhatisit?" "Well,Doctor,"saidJip(hewasbadlyoutofbreathfromrunning),"IknowallabouttheHermit—Ihaveknownforyears.ButIcouldn'ttellyou." "BecauseI'dpromisednottotellanyone.ItwasBob,hisdog,thattoldme.AndIsworetohimthatIwouldkeepthesecret." "Well,andareyougoingtotellmenow?" "Yes,"saidJip,"we'vegottosavehim. IfollowedBob'sscentjustnowwhenIleftyououtthereonthemarshes.AndIfoundhim. AndIsaidtohim,'Isitallright,'Isaid,'formetotelltheDoctornow?Maybehecandosomething.' AndBobsaystome,'Yes,'sayshe,'it'sallrightbecause—'" "Oh,forHeaven'ssake,goon,goon!"criedtheDoctor."Telluswhatthemysteryis—notwhatyousaidtoBobandwhatBobsaidtoyou.Whathashappened?WhereIStheHermit?" "He'sinPuddlebyJail,"saidJip."He'sinprison." Jipwentovertothedoorandsmeltatthebottomofittoseeifanyonewerelisteningoutside.ThenhecamebacktotheDoctorontiptoeandwhispered, "Lordpreserveus!"criedtheDoctor,sittingdownheavilyinachairandmoppinghisforeheadwithahandkerchief."Whendidhedoit?" "Fifteenyearsago—inaMexicangold-mine. That'swhyhehasbeenahermiteversince. Heshavedoffhisbeardandkeptawayfrompeopleoutthereonthemarshessohewouldn'tberecognized. Butlastweek,itseemsthesenew-fangledpolicemencametoTown;andtheyheardtherewasastrangemanwhokepttohimselfallaloneinashackonthefen.Andtheygotsuspicious. ForalongtimepeoplehadbeenhuntingallovertheworldforthemanthatdidthatkillingintheMexicangold-minefifteenyearsago. Sothesepolicemenwentouttotheshack,andtheyrecognizedLukebyamoleonhisarm.Andtheytookhimtoprison." "Well,well!"murmuredtheDoctor."Whowouldhavethoughtit?—Luke,thephilosopher!—Killedaman!—Icanhardlybelieveit." "It'strueenough—unfortunately,"saidJip."Lukedidit.Butitwasn'thisfault.Bobsaysso.Andhewasthereandsawitall. Hewasscarcelymorethanapuppyatthetime.BobsaysLukecouldn'thelpit.HeHADtodoit." "WhereisBobnow?"askedtheDoctor. "Downattheprison.Iwantedhimtocomewithmeheretoseeyou;buthewon'tleavetheprisonwhileLukeisthere. Hejustsitsoutsidethedooroftheprison-cellandwon'tmove. Hedoesn'teveneatthefoodtheygivehim. Won'tyoupleasecomedownthere,Doctor,andseeifthereisanythingyoucando? Thetrialistobethisafternoonattwoo'clock.Whattimeisitnow?" "BobsayshethinkstheyaregoingtokillLukeforapunishmentiftheycanprovethathedidit—orcertainlykeephiminprisonfortherestofhislife.Won'tyoupleasecome? PerhapsifyouspoketothejudgeandtoldhimwhatagoodmanLukereallyisthey'dlethimoff." "OfcourseI'llcome,"saidtheDoctorgettingupandmovingtogo."ButI'mverymuchafraidthatIshan'tbeofanyrealhelp."Heturnedatthedoorandhesitatedthoughtfully. ThenheopenedthedoorandpassedoutwithJipandmecloseathisheels. 
