vely all the more as they got further
away from the pic-nic ground. Firs and oaks stood thick all along, with
many other trees also; the ground was carpeted with layers of moss;
great rocks rose up by the water's edge, grey and brown with lichens. It
was not so hot now. The sun's glare was shielded off. On a mossy carpet
beside the water's edge the doctor and Daisy sat down. Undoubtedly the
doctor had never taken so much trouble with a child before; but Daisy
was a study to him.

"We do not find the wonderful things, Daisy," he remarked, throwing
himself back upon the moss with his hands under his head. His cap fell
off; his blue eyes looked at her with a sort of contented laziness;
never sleepily. Daisy smiled at him.

"I do," she said.

"You do! What have you found!"

"I think everything is wonderful."

"A profound truth," said the doctor; "but you are very young to find it
out. Instance, Daisy."

"But you want to go to sleep, sir."

"How dare you say so? No, I don't. I want to have a talk with you about
something wonderful."

Daisy thought he looked a little sleepy, for his eyelids drooped well
over his eyes; nevertheless the eyes saw keenly enough the start of
pleasure into hers. And they had seen the pale, subdued look of the face
that it had worn before. Nevertheless, in spite of that start, Daisy
remained as quiet as a mouse, looking at him.

"Don't you think I can talk while I am enjoying myself in this fashion?"
said the doctor.

"I think you can talk any way," said Daisy; "but you _look_ a great deal
more like sleeping, sir."

"None of that. Go on, Daisy. Only do not say anything about the sun, now
that it has gone under a cloud. Let us forget it for a little while."

"What shall I take, then?"

"I don't care. Something green and refreshing."

Daisy looked around her. On every side she saw things that she had no
doubt would be very interesting to talk about; she did not know which to
choose. There were the trees; the firs and hemlocks, and the oaks and
maples, growing thick on every hand. No doubt those beautiful structures
had uses and characters of wonder; she had a great mind to ask the
doctor to tell her about them. But the great boulder beside which they
were hid from view, divided her attention; it was very large, and
rounded off on all sides, lying quietly on the ground; and Daisy was
curious to know how it came to be so grown over with green things;
mosses and ferns draped it all ove