The Sea Fairies

venture he had encountered. At first he could hardly believe it was all true and that he was not dreaming; but there was Trot in the water, laughing

d the soft fingers in his own. He had to lean over the boat to do this, and then there came a queer lightness to his legs and he had a great

the water with my rheumatics! I'll b

Trot. "That's a fine tail you've got, Cap'

he asked, twisting aro

lds, Cap'n. How

ooden leg all holler! I kin do stunts now that I c

advised the Princess. "No mermaid ever ca

a mermaid now

the pretty princess. "But when he gets

n' all?" inqu

sure, m

en able to do on land-even before he got the wooden leg. And a curious thing about this present experience was that the water did not cling to him and wet him as it had always done before. He still wore his flannel shirt and pea jacket and his sailor cap

inctly as she had ever seen anything above water. And by looking over her shoulder she could watch the motion of her new tail, all covered with

covered the shapely, white arms of her new friends. The gowns had trains that floated far behind the mermaids as they swam, but were so fleecy and transparent that the sparkle of their scales might be seen reaching back of their waists, where the human for

the princess said, "Now, my dear, if you are ready, we wi

and took the hand extended t

'n Bill?" asked the blonde mermaid,

e said, taking her fi

Princess Clia. We must all keep together, you know, and

ut the light. But presently Trot, who was eagerly looking around her, began to notice the water lighten and saw th

in the ocean," remarked the child, sw

straight or level," replied Clia. "But we are in mid-wa

itate, so Trot as

Princess. "The mid-water is not as safe as the very bot

ould that do

t reason, nothing in the ocean can injure us, but you two are mortals

ear enough for the girl to see plainly what it might be. Suddenly they swam right into a big school of fishes, all yellowtails and of very large size. There must have been hundreds of

"Fishes are stupid creatures mostly

o was swimming gracefully beside them, h

hem at a safe distance. They never dare attempt to bite a mermaid, and it may be

reless, Cap'n

' sharks 'cause if they came near I'd stick my wooden leg at 'em. But now

are of you on our journey, and in our

et in?" he as

e mermaids are inhabit

in the sea?" asked the little girl after

e mermaids have great powers, being fairies; yet among the sea peop

id Trot. "I'

e or go near the shore, and are often caught by fishermen," said Clia, "but th

ared Cap'n Bill. "If you know any worse o

d the Princess, "and they are evil spirits who delight in injuring all who meet them. None li

e won't,"

f any sort ought to be give a wide berth,

sea serpents?" asked

the sailor, "but I've heard t

ive to tell the

ied. "They're jes' O

Princess Clia softly. "We know the sea

" exclai

y harmless, but quite bashful and shy. They are kind-hearted, too, and although

ey live?" as

this ocean, lives quite near us,

" inquired Cap'

like the water better than the land as a habitation. Perhaps King Anko is ten thousand year

it?" said Trot. "Older t

mat older, mate, but not much. P'raps t

and Inko. They each have an ocean of their own, you know; and once every hundred ye

" asked Trot, looking around at t

in age," rejoined the Princess wit

han Cap'

ear," s

kers," added Merla merrily, "

following after her. More than a dozen were in the group; all were lovely in appearance and clothed in the same gauzy robes as Merla and the Princess. These attendants did not join in the conversation but darted here and there in sportive play, and often Trot heard the tink

we have to go?" asked

ing tired?" M

de the water ain't as interestin' as the top of it. It's fine swimmin', I'll ag

ping you would see nothing to alarm you until you get more accustomed to our ocean life. Moreo

two mile,"

of miles from the cave wher

n it!" he excl

ic in it," announ

said Clia. "The result is that we are nearing our home. Let us go downward a bit, now, for you