The Associate Hermits

In Short

This novel follows a group of city dwellers who arrive at a remote, high-end mountain inn, only to find themselves drawn into a series of entanglements that test their patience and social resolve. Seeking a quiet escape, they instead stumble into a tangle of competing individualities, eccentric local guides, and unwanted romantic pursuits. It is a gentle, observational satire on the human tendency to over-complicate simple experiences, offering a clear-eyed look at the friction between our internal sense of self and the inescapable influence of those around us.

The Story

The story opens with Mr. and Mrs. Archibald, a respectable couple who, wanting to spare their daughter Kate and her fiancé the labor of a rugged vacation, have arranged a camping trip. They arrive at the prestigious hotel run by Peter Sadler, a formidable, chair-bound man who dictates the rules of the woods to all who enter. Expecting a rough, solitary experience, they are instead provided with a comfortable camp and a guide named Phil Matlack, a man of unconventional appearance and skeptical temperament.

The tranquility of their woodland retreat is soon compromised. The party is joined by Margery Dearborn, a young woman whose presence attracts two persistent suitors, Mr. Clyde and Mr. Raybold. These young men set up their own camp, "Camp Roy," nearby, attempting to assert their own versions of independence while constantly hovering around the Archibalds’ site. The group is further complicated by the arrival of a mysterious, articulate stranger known as the Bishop—a man of indeterminate history who finds himself drifting between the two camps—and the arrival of Mr. Raybold’s sister, Corona, and her own no-nonsense guide, Mrs. Perkenpine.

As the days progress, the tension between the campers’ desire for personal freedom and the reality of their codependence boils over. Mr. Archibald tries to exert control, treating the young men as wayward wards, while Margery struggles to maintain her own space amidst the competing attentions of her admirers. The guides, particularly the weary Matlack and the assertive Mrs. Perkenpine, begin to grow tired of the "greenhorns" and their dramatic, self-absorbed antics. The Bishop, despite his quiet demeanor and intellectual anecdotes, becomes a focal point for the irritation of the men and the fascination of the women.

Eventually, the farce reaches a breaking point. The guides, having reached the limit of their tolerance for their guests' behavior, decide to pack up and leave the woods. The campers, who had prided themselves on their "individualities," find themselves forced to confront their own limitations. As the guides organize the exodus, the vacationers are compelled to abandon their romanticized notions of hermit-like living. In the end, the party reconciles itself to the necessity of returning to civilization, realizing that the experiment in isolated self-assertion was more of a tangle than they had ever imagined, and the "Associate Hermits" finally accept that their collective existence is far more practical than their individual dreams.

How It Unfolds

The arrival at Sadler’s The Archibalds reach the mountain hotel expecting a rustic start to their trip, but find themselves under the firm, authoritative guidance of Peter Sadler. They meet their guide, Phil Matlack, a man who seems entirely indifferent to their city-bred expectations of what a frontiersman should be.

The establishment of the camps The party settles into their site, only to be immediately surrounded by the arrival of the young men Clyde and Raybold. A boundary of a few hundred feet is drawn between the camps, though it quickly becomes a mere suggestion that everyone ignores.

The introduction of the Bishop A new figure appears in the woods: a man of poise and strange stories who has lost his school and his occupation. He attaches himself to the periphery of the groups, causing internal friction as the men grow jealous of his presence.

The struggle for space Mr. Archibald attempts to regain order by organizing group expeditions, but the individualistic whims of the younger campers constantly derail his plans. Margery finds her desire for a quiet retreat impossible to fulfill, as her suitors follow her with relentless, self-important persistence.

The revolt of the guides Matlack and Mrs. Perkenpine finally decide they have had enough of the indecisive, demanding nature of their clients. They declare their intention to leave, effectively stripping the campers of their support system and forcing them to face the reality of their own incompetence.

The departure The illusion of the independent hermit is shattered as the group prepares to retreat from the wilderness. They return to the hotel, humbled by their inability to manage their own affairs and finding a quiet, albeit forced, unity in their common departure.

The People

Mr. Archibald is the self-appointed leader who wants to maintain a sense of order, but his frustration grows as he loses control over the group. Mrs. Archibald serves as his observant, slightly more flexible partner. Margery Dearborn is the center of attention; she desires solitude, yet is constantly pursued by the competitive Mr. Clyde and the absurdly poetic Mr. Raybold. Mr. Clyde is persistent and intense, while Mr. Raybold attempts to act out his individuality through dramatic posturing. The Bishop is a man of calm, academic, and slightly mysterious bearing who endures the group's hostility with grace. Phil Matlack and Mrs. Perkenpine are the pragmatic, weary guides who eventually prioritize their own well-being over the comfort of their difficult employers.

In Its Own Voice

"He's a city man, and it's my opinion he don't know one thing about hunting, fishing, making a camp-fire, or even digging bait."

Peter Sadler provides a blunt assessment of his new guest's utter lack of woodland preparation.

"I have been looking for you, and I have had tough work of it; but I have found you. I knew I should, for I had bent my mind to the undertaking."

Arthur Raybold defends his intrusive search for Margery as an exercise of his own will.

"I've been goin' to school to myself pretty steady, and I've kept myself in a good deal, too, for not knowin' my lessons."

Mrs. Perkenpine describes her internal development as she decides that her individuality involves leaving the camp.

What It's Really About

The book serves as a wry commentary on the modern urge to escape the social machinery of city life by retreating into nature, only to recreate those same social structures in the wild. The central question is the tension between the "assertion of individuality"—the desire to be one's own master—and the practical necessity of cooperation. The characters attempt to live as "hermits," yet they are unable to exist without the constant, if resented, support of the guides and the approval of one another. The author suggests that our attempts at self-definition are often just performances for an audience, and that true independence is a far more difficult and less romantic achievement than we care to admit.

Why Read It Today

Those who enjoy character-driven humor and gentle, observational prose will find much to admire here. The book captures a specific, turn-of-the-century fascination with the "outdoor life," showing it to be just as fraught with social anxiety as an evening at a city parlor. Reading it feels like watching a slow-motion collision of egos; there is a warmth in how the author treats his flawed, often ridiculous characters, never mocking them too harshly, but letting their own actions expose their vanity.

Readers should be aware that the pacing is leisurely, characteristic of its period, and the dialogue leans into the distinct, often clipped dialects of the time. While the preoccupation with "individuality" may strike a modern ear as a bit of a period-specific philosophical hobbyhorse, the underlying dynamic—the way we bring our problems with us wherever we go—remains entirely relevant. It is a book for those who like to see people caught in the act of being human. You will likely walk away with a lingering appreciation for the author’s ability to find comedy in the mundane and a renewed skepticism toward anyone who claims they are "getting away from it all."