In fact, being of a childlike nature, his success as a professor of botany quite pleased him, and not content with answering my questions, he set to work to find new vegetable surprises, greatly enjoying my wonder and the sense of importance it gave him.
In this way we came, later on in the day, to a spot where herbage was somewhat scantier, the grass coarse, and soil shallow.

Here I espied a tree of small size, apparently withered, but still bearing a few parched leaves on its uppermost twigs.
"Now that," quoth the professor, "is a highly curious tree, and I should like you to make a close acquaintance with it.

It grows from a seed in the course of a single springtime, perishes in the summer; but a few specimens stand throughout the winter, provided the situation is sheltered, as this one has done.

If you will kindly go down and shake its stem I believe you will learn something interesting." So, very willing to humour him, away I went to the tree, which was perfect in every detail, but apparently very dry, clasped it with both hands, and, pulling myself together, gave it a mighty shake.

The result was instantaneous.