"Very little will do, I suppose."

"But I do not see how _any_ earth got there," said Daisy. "It was only a
bare rock at first, of course."

"At first," repeated the doctor. "Well, Daisy, I suppose it was no more.
But there is something else growing there, which you have not spoken
of."

"Is there?" said Daisy. "I do not see anything else."

"Pardon me--you do see it."

"Then I do not know what it is," said Daisy laughing. Absolutely, the
sober, sober little face had forgotten its care, and the eyes were
alight with intelligence and curiosity, and the lips were unbent in good
honest laughter. The doctor raised himself up to a sitting posture.

"What do you call those grey and brown patches of colour that hide your
rock all over?"

"Grey and brown?" said Daisy wistfully--"those are just the colours of
the rock, aren't they?"

"No. Look close."

"Why, Dr. Sandford, what is it? It is not the rock--some of it is
not--but here is a spot of yellow that is nothing else, I think."