Diamond repeated the riddle.

"Oh! that's easy enough," he returned. "It's a tree."

"Well, it ain't got no mouth, sure enough; but how then does it
eat all day long?"

"It sucks in its food through the tiniest holes in its leaves,"
he answered. "Its breath is its food. And it can't do it except
in the daylight."

"Thank you, sir, thank you," returned Diamond. "I'm sorry I
couldn't find it out myself; Mr. Raymond would have been better
pleased with me."

"But you needn't tell him any one told you."

Diamond gave him a stare which came from the very back of the
north wind, where that kind of thing is unknown.

"That would be cheating," he said at last.

"Ain't you a cabby, then?"

"Cabbies don't cheat."

"Don't they? I am of a different opinion."

"I'm sure my father don't."