ught me, years, years ago? All that you cannot see, it is so
far away--so far."

I did not laugh at her simplicity, nor did I smile or feel any
inclination to smile. On the contrary, I only experienced a sympathy so
keen that it was like pain while watching her clouded face, so changeful
in its expression, yet in all changes so wistful. I could not yet form
any idea as to what she wished to communicate or to discover, but seeing
that she paused for a reply, I answered: "The world is so large, Rima,
that we can only see a very small portion of it from any one spot. Look
at this," and with a stick I had used to aid me in my ascent I traced
a circle six or seven inches in circumference on the soft stone, and in
its centre placed a small pebble. "This represents the mountain we
are standing on," I continued, touching the pebble; "and this
line encircling it encloses all of the earth we can see from the
mountain-top. Do you understand?--the line I have traced is the blue
line of the horizon beyond which we cannot see. And outside of this
little circle is all the flat top of Ytaioa representing the world.
Consider, then, how small a portion of the world we can see from this
spot!"

"And do you know it all?" she returned excitedly. "All the world?"
waving her hand to indicate the little stone plain. "All the mountains,
and rivers, and forests--all the people in the world?"

"That would be impossible, Rima; consider how large it is."

"That does not matter. Come, let us go together--we two and
grandfather--and see all the world; all the mountains and forests, and
know all the people."

"You do not know what you are saying, Rima. You might as well say:
'Come, let us go to the sun and find out everything in it.'"

"It is you who do not know what you are saying," she retorted, with
brightening eyes which for a moment glanced full into mine. "We have no
wings like birds to fly to the sun. Am I not able to walk on the earth,
and run? Can I not swim? Can I not climb every mountain?"

"No, you cannot. You imagine that all the earth is like this little
portion you see. But it is not all the same. There are great rivers
which you cannot cross by swimming; mountains you cannot climb; forests
you cannot penetrate--dark, and inhabited by dangerous beasts, and so
vast that all this space your eyes look on is a mere speck of earth in
comparison."

She listened excitedly. "Oh, do you know all that?" she cried, with a
strangely brigh