That little fellow, I suppose, lived a
thousand million years ago; may as well say a thousand as
anything."
"I can't see how you can tell," said Daisy, looking puzzled.
"That was a strange old time, when he was swimming about — or
when most of them were. There were no trees, to speak of; and
no grass or anything but sea-weed and mosses; and no living
things but fishes and oysters and such creatures?"
"Where were the beasts then, and the birds?"
"They were not made yet. That's the reason, I suppose, there
was no grass for them to eat."
Daisy looked down at the trilobite; and looked profoundly
thoughtful. That little, shiny, black, stony thing, _that_ had
lived and flourished so many ages ago! Once more she looked up
into the Captain's face — to see if he were trifling with her.
He shook his head.
"True as a book, Daisy."
"But, Captain Drummond, please, how do you know it?"
"Just think, Daisy, — this little fellow frolicked away in the
mud at the bottom of the sea, with his half-moons of eyes —
and round him swam all sorts of fishes that do not live
nowadays; fishes with plate armour like himself; everybody was
in armour."
"Half-moons of eyes, Captain Drummond?"
"Yes.
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