“Precisely.”

“But then how could he get up here?”

“Seems difficult, don’t it?” said the Captain.  “Well, Daisy, the people that know, tell us that all the land we have was once at the bottom of the sea; so these rocks had their turn.”

“All the land?” said Daisy.  “O that is what the Bible says!”

“The Bible!” said the Captain in his turn.  “Pray where, if you please?”

“Why don’t you know, Capt.  Drummond?—­when God said, ’Let the waters be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.’”

The Captain whistled softly, with an amused face, and stealthily watched Daisy, whose countenance was full of the most beautiful interest.  Almost lovingly she bent over the trilobite, thinking her own thoughts; while her friend presently from observing the expression of her face began to take notice anew of the thin and pale condition of the cheeks, that had been much healthier a week ago.

“You like to look at armour, Daisy,” he said.

She made no answer.

“Are you still in the mind to ‘die on the field of battle?’”

He guessed the question would touch her, but curiosity got the better of sympathy with him.  He was not prepared for the wistful, searching look that Daisy gave him instantly, nor for the indescribable tenderness and sorrow that mingled in it.  As before, she did not answer.

“Forgive me, Daisy,” said the Captain involuntarily “You know you told me you were a soldier.”

Daisy’s heart was very tender, and she had been living all the morning in that peculiar nearness to Christ which those know who suffer for him.  She looked at the Captain, and burst into tears.

“You told me you were a soldier—­” he repeated, not quite knowing what to say.

“O Capt.  Drummond!” said Daisy weeping,—­“I wish you were!”

It stung the Captain.  He knew what she meant.  But he quietly asked her why?

“Because then,” said Daisy, “you would know Jesus; and I want you to be happy.”

“Why Daisy,” said Capt.  Drummond, though his conscience smote him,—­“you don’t seem to me very happy lately.”

“Don’t I?” she said.  “But I am happy.  I only wish everybody else was happy too.”

She presently wiped her eyes and stood up.  “Capt.  Drummond,” said she, “don’t you think we can find another of these things?”

Anything to change the course matters had taken, the Captain thought, so he gave ready assent; and he and Daisy entered upon a most lively renewed quest among the rocks that covered all that mountain side.  Daisy was more eager than he; she wanted very much to have a trilobite for her own keeping; the difficulty was, she did not know how to look for it.  All she could do was to follow her friend and watch all his doings and direct him to new spots in the mountain that he had not tried.  In the course of this business the Captain did some adventurous climbing;