’Oneisasmallmanandhisbackisbent。Hewearsapriest’scassockandisveryold；hemustbemorethanahundred，Ishouldsay。Heissooldthatthewhiteofhisbeardistakingagreenishtinge，butheisalwayssmiling，andhisfaceisasbrightasanangel’sfromheaven。Thesecondistaller，buthealsoisveryold。
　　Hewearstattered，peasantcoat。Hisbeardisbroad，andofayellowishgreycolour。Heisastrongman。BeforeIhadtimetohelphim，heturnedmyboatoverasifitwereonlyapail。Hetoo，iskindlyandcheerful。Thethirdistall，andhasabeardaswhiteassnowandreachingtohisknees。Heisstern，withover-hangingeyebrows；andhewearsnothingbutamattiedroundhiswaist。’
　　’Anddidtheyspeaktoyou？’askedtheBishop。
　　’Forthemostparttheydideverythinginsilenceandspokebutlittleeventooneanother。Oneofthemwouldjustgiveaglance，andtheotherswouldunderstandhim。Iaskedthetallestwhethertheyhadlivedtherelong。Hefrowned，andmutteredsomethingasifhewereangry；buttheoldestonetookhishandandsmiled，andthenthetallonewasquiet。Theoldestoneonlysaid:“Havemercyuponus，“andsmiled。’
　　Whilethefishermanwastalking，theshiphaddrawnnearertotheisland。
　　’There，nowyoucanseeitplainly，ifyourGracewillpleasetolook，’
　　saidthetradesman，pointingwithhishand。
　　TheBishoplooked，andnowhereallysawadarkstreak——whichwastheisland。Havinglookedatitawhile，helefttheprowofthevessel，andgoingtothestern，askedthehelmsman:
　　’Whatislandisthat？’
　　’Thatone，’repliedtheman，’hasnoname。Therearemanysuchinthissea。’
　　’Isittruethattherearehermitswholivethereforthesalvationoftheirsouls？’
　　’Soitissaid，yourGrace，butIdon’tknowifit’strue。Fishermensaytheyhaveseenthem；butofcoursetheymayonlybespinningyarns。’
　　’Ishouldliketolandontheislandandseethesemen，’saidtheBishop。
　　’HowcouldImanageit？’
　　’Theshipcannotgetclosetotheisland，’repliedthehelmsman，’butyoumightberowedthereinaboat。Youhadbetterspeaktothecaptain。’
　　Thecaptainwassentforandcame。
　　’Ishouldliketoseethesehermits，’saidtheBishop。’CouldInotberowedashore？’
　　Thecaptaintriedtodissuadehim。
　　’Ofcourseitcouldbedone，’saidhe，’butweshouldlosemuchtime。
　　AndifImightventuretosaysotoyourGrace，theoldmenarenotworthyourpains。Ihaveheardsaythattheyarefoolisholdfellows，whounderstandnothing，andneverspeakaword，anymorethanthefishinthesea。’
　　’Iwishtoseethem，’saidtheBishop，’andIwillpayyouforyourtroubleandlossoftime。Pleaseletmehaveaboat。’
　　Therewasnohelpforit；sotheorderwasgiven。Thesailorstrimmedthesails，thesteersmanputupthehelm，andtheship’scoursewassetfortheisland。AchairwasplacedattheprowfortheBishop，andhesatthere，lookingahead。Thepassengersallcollectedattheprow，andgazedattheisland。Thosewhohadthesharpesteyescouldpresentlymakeouttherocksonit，andthenamudhutwasseen。Atlastonemansawthehermitsthemselves。Thecaptainbroughtatelescopeand，afterlookingthroughit，handedittotheBishop。
　　’It’srightenough。Therearethreemenstandingontheshore。There，alittletotherightofthatbigrock。’
　　TheBishoptookthetelescope，gotitintoposition，andhesawthethreemen:atallone，ashorterone，andoneverysmallandbent，standingontheshoreandholdingeachotherbythehand。
　　ThecaptainturnedtotheBishop。
　　’Thevesselcangetnonearerinthanthis，yourGrace。Ifyouwishtogoashore，wemustaskyoutogointheboat，whileweanchorhere。’
　　Thecablewasquicklyletout，theanchorcast，andthesailsfurled。
　　Therewasajerk，andthevesselshook。Thenaboathavingbeenlowered，theoarsmenjumpedin，andtheBishopdescendedtheladderandtookhisseat。Themenpulledattheiroars，andtheboatmovedrapidlytowardstheisland。Whentheycamewithinastone’sthrowtheysawthreeoldmen:atallonewithonlyamattiedroundhiswaist:ashorteroneinatatteredpeasantcoat，andaveryoldonebentwithageandwearinganoldcassock——allthreestandinghandinhand。
　　Theoarsmenpulledintotheshore，andheldonwiththeboathookwhiletheBishopgotout。
　　Theoldmenbowedtohim，andhegavethemhisbenediction，atwhichtheybowedstilllower。ThentheBishopbegantospeaktothem。
　　’Ihaveheard，’hesaid，’thatyou，godlymen，liveheresavingyourownsouls，andprayingtoourLordChristforyourfellowmen。I，anunworthyservantofChrist，amcalled，byGod’smercy，tokeepandteachHisflock。Iwishedtoseeyou，servantsofGod，andtodowhatIcantoteachyou，also。’
　　Theoldmenlookedateachothersmiling，butremainedsilent。
　　’Tellme，’saidtheBishop，’whatyouaredoingtosaveyoursouls，andhowyouserveGodonthisisland。’
　　Thesecondhermitsighed，andlookedattheoldest，theveryancientone。Thelattersmiled，andsaid:
　　’WedonotknowhowtoserveGod。Weonlyserveandsupportourselves，servantofGod。’
　　’ButhowdoyoupraytoGod？’askedtheBishop。
　　’Weprayinthisway，’repliedthehermit。’Threeareye，threearewe，havemercyuponus。’
　　Andwhentheoldmansaidthis，allthreeraisedtheireyestoheaven，andrepeated:
　　’Threeareye，threearewe，havemercyuponus！’
　　TheBishopsmiled。
　　’YouhaveevidentlyheardsomethingabouttheHolyTrinity，’saidhe。
　　’Butyoudonotprayaright。Youhavewonmyaffection，godlymen。IseeyouwishtopleasetheLord，butyoudonotknowhowtoserveHim。Thatisnotthewaytopray；butlistentome，andIwillteachyou。Iwillteachyou，notawayofmyown，butthewayinwhichGodintheHolyScriptureshascommandedallmentopraytoHim。’
　　AndtheBishopbeganexplainingtothehermitshowGodhadrevealedHimselftomen；tellingthemofGodtheFather，andGodtheSon，andGodtheHolyGhost。
　　’GodtheSoncamedownonearth，’saidhe，’tosavemen，andthisishowHetaughtusalltopray。Listenandrepeatafterme:
　　“OurFather。“’
　　Andthefirstoldmanrepeatedafterhim，’OurFather，’andthesecondsaid，’OurFather，’andthethirdsaid，’OurFather。’
　　’Whichartinheaven，’continuedtheBishop。
　　Thefirsthermitrepeated，’Whichartinheaven，’butthesecondblunderedoverthewords，andthetallhermitcouldnotsaythemproperly。Hishairhadgrownoverhismouthsothathecouldnotspeakplainly。Theveryoldhermit，havingnoteeth，alsomumbledindistinctly。
　　TheBishoprepeatedthewordsagain，andtheoldmenrepeatedthemafterhim。TheBishopsatdownonastone，andtheoldmenstoodbeforehim，watchinghismouth，andrepeatingthewordsasheutteredthem。AndalldaylongtheBishoplaboured，sayingawordtwenty，thirty，ahundredtimesover，andtheoldmenrepeateditafterhim。Theyblundered，andhecorrectedthem，andmadethembeginagain。
　　TheBishopdidnotleaveofftillhehadtaughtthemthewholeoftheLord’sprayersothattheycouldnotonlyrepeatitafterhim，butcouldsayitbythemselves。Themiddleonewasthefirsttoknowit，andtorepeatthewholeofitalone。TheBishopmadehimsayitagainandagain，andatlasttheotherscouldsayittoo。
　　Itwasgettingdark，andthemoonwasappearingoverthewater，beforetheBishoprosetoreturntothevessel。Whenhetookleaveoftheoldmen，theyallboweddowntothegroundbeforehim。
　　Heraisedthem，andkissedeachofthem，tellingthemtoprayashehadtaughtthem。Thenhegotintotheboatandreturnedtotheship。