“I do very well.  Where is the fish?  You have got nothing but stones there, Capt.  Drummond?”

The Captain without speaking displayed one of the stones he had in his hand.  It looked very curious.  Upon a smooth flat surface, where the stone had been split, there was a raised part which had the appearance of some sort of animal; but this too seemed to be stone, and was black and shining, though its parts were distinct.

“What is that, Capt.  Drummond?  It is a stone.”

“It is a fish.”

“That?”

“That.”

“But you are laughing.”

“Am I?” said the Captain, as grave as a senator.  “It’s a fish for all that.”

“This curious black thing?”

“Precisely.”

[Illustration]

“What sort of a fish?”

“Daisy, have you had any luncheon?”

“No, sir.”

“Then you had better discuss that subject first.  Soldiers cannot get along without their rations, you’ll find.”

“What is that?” said Daisy.

“Rations?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Daily bread, Daisy.  Of one sort or another as the case may be.  Where is that basket?”

Daisy had charge of it and would not let him take it out of her hands.  She unfolded napkins, and permitted the Captain to help himself when she had all things ready.  Then bread and butter and salad were found to be very refreshing.  But while Daisy eat, she looked at the trilobite.

“Please tell me what it is, Capt, Drummond.”

“It is a Crustacean.”

“But you know I don’t know what a Crustacean is.”

“A Crustacean, is a fellow who wears his bones on the outside.”

“Capt.  Drummond!  What do you mean?”

“Well I mean that, Daisy.  Did you never hear of the way soldiers used to arm themselves for the fight in old times? in plates of jointed armour?”

“Yes, I know they did.”

“Well these fellows are armed just so—­only they do not put on steel or brass, but hard plates of bone or horn that do exactly as well, and are jointed just as nicely.”

“And those are Crustaceans?”

“Those are Crustaceans.”

“And was this thing armed so?”

“Splendidly.  Don’t you see those marks?—­those shew the rings of his armour.  Those rings fitted so nicely, and played so easily upon one another, that he could curl himself all up into a ball if he liked, and bring his armour all round him; for it was only on his back, so to speak.”

“And how came he into this rock, Capt.  Drummond?”

“Ah! how did he?” said the Captain, looking contentedly at the trilobite.  “That’s more than I can tell you, Daisy.  Only he lived before the rock was made, and when it was made, it wrapped him up in it, somehow; and now we have got him!”

“But, Capt.  Drummond I——­”

“What is it?”

“When do you suppose this rock was made?”