uttered the
Captain. "Does she resemble her name or her colour?"

"She isn't much like the month of June," said Daisy. "I don't think she
is a very cheerful person."

"Then I wouldn't come here any more with her--or anywhere else."

"I don't," said Daisy. "I don't go with her, or with anybody else--much.
Only I go with Sam and the pony."

"Where's Ransom? Don't he go with you?"

"O Ransom's older, you know; and he's a boy."

"Ransom don't know his advantages. This is pleasant, Daisy. Now let us
see. What were you and I about?"

"You were telling me something, Capt. Drummond."

"What was it? O I know. Daisy, you are under arrest, you know, and
sentenced to extra duty. The work you are to perform, is to gather as
many of these little pebbles together--these white ones--as you can in
five minutes."

Daisy went to work; so did the Captain; and very busy they were, for the
Captain gathered as many pebbles as she did. He made her fetch them to a
place where the little beach was clean and smooth, and in the shadow of
an overhanging tree they both sat down. Then the Captain throwing off
his cap, began arranging the white pebbles on the sand in some
mysterious manner--lines of them hero and lines of them there--whistling
as he worked. Daisy waited with curious patience; watched him closely,
but never asked what he was doing. At last he stopped, looked up at her,
and smiled.

"Well!--" he said.

"What is it all, Capt. Drummond?"

"This is your story, Daisy."

"My story!"

"Yes. Look here--these rows of white stones are the Russians;--these
brown stones are the English," said he, beginning to marshal another set
into mysterious order some distance from the white stones. "Now what
shall I do for some guns?"

Daisy in a very great state of delight began to make search for
something that would do to stand for artillery; but Capt. Drummond
presently solved the question by breaking some twigs from the tree
overhead and cutting them up into inch lengths. These little mock guns
he distributed liberally among the white stones, pointing their muzzles
in various directions; and finally drew some lines in the sand which he
informed Daisy were fortifications. Daisy looked on; it was better than
a fairy tale.

"Now Daisy, we are ready for action. This is the battle of Balaklava;
and these are part of the lines. An order was brought to an officer
commanding a body of cavalry stationed up here--you know what cavalry
is?"