one ear. His eyes were somewhat dull and watery and he had a moustache
of long, hair-like "feelers" that curled stiffly at the ends. When he
tried to smile at them he showed two rows of sharp, white teeth. In
spite of his red coat and yellow embroidered vest, his standing collar
and carefully tied cravat, the legs of the octopus were bare, and Trot
noticed he used some of his legs for arms, as in one of them was held a
slender cane, and in another, a handkerchief.
"Well, well!" said the Octopus. "Are you all dumb? Or don't you know
enough to be civil when you meet a neighbor?"
"We know how to be civil to our friends," replied Trot, who did not
like the way he spoke.
"Well, aren't we friends, then?" asked the Octopus, in an airy tone of
voice.
"I think not," said the little girl. "Octopuses are horrid creatures."
"Octo_pi_, if you please; octo_pi_" said the monster, with a laugh.
"I don't see any pie that pleases me," replied Trot, beginning to get
angry.
"Octo_pus_ means one of us; two, or more are called octo_pi_," remarked
the creature, as if correcting her speech.
"I suppose a lot of you would be a whole bakery!" she said, scornfully.
"Our name is latin. It was given us by learned scientists years ago,"
said the Octopus.
"That's true enough," agreed Cap'n Bill. "The learned scientists named
ev'ry blamed thing they come acrost, an' gener'ly they picked out
names as nobody could understand, or pernounce."
[Illustration]
"That isn't our fault, sir," said the Octopus. "Indeed, it's pretty
hard for us to go through life with such terrible names. Think of the
poor little sea horse. He used to be a merry and cheerful fellow, but
since they named him 'hippocampus' he hasn't smiled once."
"Let's go," said Trot; "I don't like to 'sociate with octopuses."
"Octo_pi_," said the creature, again correcting her.
"You're jus' as horrid, whether you're puses or pies," she declared.
"Horrid!" cried the monster, in a shocked tone of voice.
"Not only horrid, but horrible!" persisted the girl.
"May I ask in what way?" he inquired, and it was easy to see he was
offended.
"Why, ev'rybody knows that octopuses are jus' wicked an' deceitful,"
she said. "Up on the earth, where I live, they call the Stannerd Oil
Company an octopus, an' the Coal Trust an octopus, an'----"
"Stop, stop!" cried the monster, in a pleading voice. "Do you mean to
tell me that the earth people, whom I have always respected, compare me
to the Stannerd Oil Company?"
"Yes," said Trot, positively.
"That's what they do," added Cap'n Bill, nodding his grizzled head.
"Oh, what a disgrace! What a deep, direful, dreadful disgrace!" moaned
the Octopus, drooping his head in shame; and Trot could see great tears
rolling down his cheeks.
"This comes of having a bad name," said the Queen, gently, for she was
moved by the monster's grief.
"It is unjust! It is cruel and unjust!" sobbed the creature,
mournfully. "Just because we have several long arms, and take whatever
we can reach, they accuse us of being like--like--oh, I cannot say it!
It is too shameful--too humiliating!"
"Come; let's go," said Trot, again; so they left the poor octopus
weeping and wiping his watery eyes with his handkerchief, and swam on
their way.
"I'm not a bit sorry for him," remarked the child; "for his legs remind
me of serpents."
"So they do me," agreed Cap'n Bill.
"But the octopi are not very bad," said the Princess, "and we get along
with them much better than we do with their cousins the sea devils."
"Oh. Are the sea devils their cousins?" asked Trot.
"Yes; and they are the only creatures of the ocean which we greatly
fear," replied Aquareine. "I hope we shall meet none to-day, for we are
going near to the dismal caverns where they live."
"What are the sea devils like, ma'am?" inquired Cap'n Bill, a little
uneasily.
"Something like the octopus you just saw, only much larger and of a
bright scarlet color, striped with black," answered the Queen. "They
are very fierce and terrible creatures, and nearly as much dreaded by
the inhabitants of the ocean as is Zog, and nearly as powerful as King
Anko himself."
"Zog! Who is Zog?" questioned the girl. "I haven't heard of him, before
now."
"We do not like to mention Zog's name," responded the Queen, in a low
voice. "He is the wicked genius of the sea, and a magician of great
power."
"What's he like?" asked Cap'n Bill.
"He is a dreadful creature, part fish, part man, part beast and part
serpent. Centuries ago they cast him off the earth into the sea, where
he has caused much trouble. Once he waged a terrible war against King
Anko, but the sea serpent finally conquered Zog, and drove the magician
into his castle, where he now stays shut up. For if ever Anko catches
the monster outside of his enchanted castle he will kill him, and Zog
knows that very well."
"Seems like you have your troubles down here, just as we do on top the
ground," remarked Cap'n Bill.
"But, I'm glad old Zog is shut up in his castle," added Trot. "Is it a
sea castle, like your own palaces?"
"I cannot say, my dear, for the enchantment makes it invisible to all
eyes but those of its inhabitants," replied Aquareine. "No one sees Zog
now, and we scarcely ever hear of him; but all the sea people know he
is here, some place, and fear his power. Even in the old days, before
Anko conquered him, Zog was the enemy of the mermaids, as he was of all
the good and respectable seafolk. But do not worry about the magician,
I beg of you, for he has not dared to do an evil deed in many, many
years."
"Oh, I'm not afraid," asserted Trot.
"I'm glad of that," said the Queen. "Keep together, friends, and be
careful not to separate, for here comes an army of sawfishes."
Even as Aquareine spoke they saw a swirl and commotion in the water
ahead of them, while a sound like a muffled roar fell upon their ears.
Then swiftly there dashed upon them a group of great fishes, with long
saws sticking out in front of their noses, armed with sharp hooked
teeth, all set in a row. They were larger than the swordfishes and
seemed more fierce and bold. But the mermaids and Trot, and Cap'n Bill
quietly awaited their attack, and instead of tearing them with their
saws, as they expected to do, the fishes were unable to touch them at
all. They tried every possible way to get at their proposed victims,
but the Magic Circle was all-powerful and turned aside the ugly saws;
so our friends were not disturbed at all. Seeing this, the sawfishes
soon abandoned the attempt and with growls and roars of disappointment
swam away and were quickly out of sight.
Trot had been a wee bit frightened during the attack, but now she
laughed gleefully and told the queen that it seemed very nice to be
protected by fairy powers.
The water grew a darker blue as they descended into its depths,
farther and farther away from the rays of the sun. Trot was surprised
to find she could see so plainly through the high wall of water above
her; but the sun was able to shoot its beams straight down through the
transparent sea, and they seemed to penetrate to every nook and crevice
of the rocky bottom.
In this deeper part of the ocean some of the fishes had a
phosphorescent light of their own, and these could be seen far ahead,
as if they were lanterns. The explorers met a school of argonauts going
up to the surface for a sail, and the child watched these strange
creatures with much curiosity. The argonauts live in shells, in which
they are able to hide in case of danger from prowling wolf fishes; but
otherwise they crawl out and carry their shells like humps upon their
backs. Then they spread their skinny sails above them and sail away
under water till they come to the surface, where they float and let the
currents of air carry them along the same as the currents of water had
done before. Trot thought the argonauts comical little creatures, with
their big eyes and sharp noses, and to her they looked like a fleet of
tiny ships.
It is said that men got their first idea of boats, and of how to sail
them, from watching these little argonauts.
[Illustration]
[Illustration: _Chap. 10._
THE UNDISCOVERED ISLAND]
In following the fleet of argonauts the four explorers had risen higher
in the water and soon found they had wandered to an open space that
seemed to Trot like the flat top of a high hill. The sands were covered
with a growth of weeds so gorgeously colored that one who had never
peered beneath the surface of the sea would scarcely believe they were
not the product of a dye shop. Every known hue seemed represented in
the delicate fern-like leaves that swayed softly to and fro as the
current moved them. They were not set close together, these branches of
magnificent hues, but were scattered sparsely over the sandy bottom of
the sea, so that while from a distance they seemed thick, a nearer view
found them spread out with ample spaces of sand between them.
In these sandy spaces lay the real attractiveness of the place, for
here were many of those wonders of the deep that have surprised and
interested people in all ages.
First were the starfishes--hundreds of them, it seemed--lying sleepily
on the bottom, with their five or six points extended outward. They
were of various colors, some rich and brilliant, others of dark brown
hues. A few had wound their arms around the weeds, or were creeping
slowly from one place to another, in the latter case turning their
points downward and using them as legs. But most of them were lying
motionless, and as Trot looked down upon them she thought they
resembled stars in the sky on a bright night--except that the blue of
the heavens was here replaced by the white sand, and the twinkling
diamond stars by the colored starfish.
"We are near an island," said the Queen, "and that is why so many
starfishes are here, as they love to keep close to shore. Also the
little sea horses love these weeds and to me they are more interesting
than the starfish."
Trot now noticed the sea horses for the first time. They were quite
small--merely two or three inches high--but had funny little heads that
were shaped much like the head of a horse, and bright, intelligent
eyes. They had no legs, though, for their bodies ended in tails which
they twined around the stems of seaweeds to support themselves, and
keep the currents from carrying them away.
Trot bent down close to examine one of the queer little creatures, and
exclaimed: "Why, the sea horses haven't any fins, or anything to swim
with."
"Oh, yes we have," replied the Sea Horse, in a tiny, but distinct
voice. "These things on the side of my head are fins."
"I thought they were ears," said the girl.
"So they are. Fins and ears at the same time," answered the little sea
animal. "Also, there are small fins on our backs. Of course, we can't
swim as the mermaids do, or even as swiftly as fishes; but we manage to
get around, thank you."
"Don't the fishes catch and eat you?" inquired Trot, curiously.
"Sometimes," admitted the Sea Horse, "and there are many other living
things that have a way of destroying us. But here I am, as you see,
over six weeks old, and during that time I have escaped every danger.
That isn't so bad, is it?"
"Phoo!" said a Starfish lying near, "I'm over three months old. You're
a mere baby, Sea Horse."
"I'm not!" cried the Sea Horse, excitedly. "I'm full-grown, and may
live to be as old as you are!"
"Not if I keep on living," said the Starfish, calmly, and Trot knew he
was correct in his statement.
The little girl now noticed several sea spiders creeping around, and
drew back because she did not think them very pretty. They were
shaped not unlike the starfishes, but had slender legs and big heads
with wicked looking eyes sticking out of them.
[Illustration]
"Oh, I don't like those things!" said Trot, coming closer to her
companions.
"You don't, eh?" said a big Sea Spider, in a cross voice. "Why do you
come around here, then, scaring away my dinner, when you're not wanted?"
"It isn't _your_ ocean," replied Trot.
"No; and it isn't yours," snapped the Spider. "But as it's big enough
for us both, I'd like you to go away."
"So we will," said Aquareine, gently, and at once she moved toward the
surface of the water. Trot and Cap'n Bill followed, with Clia, and the
child asked:
"What island are we near?"
"It has no name," answered the Queen, "for it is not inhabited by man,
nor has it ever yet been discovered by them. Perhaps you will be the
first humans to see this island. But it is a barren, rocky place, and
only fit for seals and turtles."
"Are any of them there now?" Cap'n Bill inquired.
"I think so. We will see."
Trot was astonished to find how near they were to the "top" of the
ocean, for they had not ascended through the water very long when
suddenly her head popped into the air, and she gave a gasp of surprise
to find herself looking at the clear sky for the first time since she
had started upon this adventure, by rowing into Giant's Cave.
She floated comfortably in the water, with her head and face just out
of it, and began to look around her. Cap'n Bill was at her side, and
so were the two mermaids. The day was fair and the surface of the sea,
which stretched far away as the eye could reach, rippled under a gentle
breeze. They had risen almost at the edge of a small, rocky islet, high
in the middle, but gradually slanting down to the water. No trees, or
bushes, or grass grew anywhere about; only rocks, gray and bleak, were
to be seen.
Trot scarcely noticed this at first, however, for the island seemed
covered with groups of forms, some still and some moving, which the old
sailor promptly recognized as seals. Many were lying asleep or sunning
themselves; others crept awkwardly around, using their strong fins as
legs or "paddles," and caring little if they disturbed the slumbers of
the others. Once in a while, one of those crowded out of place would
give a loud and angry bark, which awakened others and set them to
barking likewise.
Baby seals were there in great numbers, and were more active and
playful than their elders. It was really wonderful how they could
scramble around on the land, and Trot laughed more than once at their
antics.
At the edge of the water lay many huge turtles, some as big around as a
wagon wheel and others much smaller in size.
"The big ones are very old," said the Queen, seeing Trot's eyes fixed
on the turtles.
"How old?" asked the child.
"Hundreds of years, I think. They live to a great age, for nothing can
harm them when they withdraw their legs and heads into their thick
shells. We use some of the turtles for food, but prefer the younger
ones. Men also fish for turtles and eat them, but, of course, no men
ever come to this out-of-the-way place in the ocean, so the inhabitants
of this little island know they are perfectly safe."
In the center of the island rose high cliffs, on top of which were to
be seen great flocks of sea-gulls, some whirling in the air, while
others were perched upon the points of rock.
"What do the birds find to eat?" asked Cap'n Bill.
"They often feed upon seals which die of accident or old age, and they
are expert fishermen," explained Queen Aquareine. "Curiously enough,
the seals also feed upon these birds, which they are often able to
catch in their strong jaws, when the gulls venture too near. And then,
the seals frequently rob the nests of eggs, of which they are very
fond."
"I'd like a few gulls' eggs now," remarked a big seal that lay near
them upon the shore. Trot had thought him sound asleep, but now he
opened his eyes to blink lazily at the group in the water.
"Good morning," said the Queen. "Aren't you Chief Muffruff?"
"I am," answered the old seal. "And you are Aquareine, the mermaid
queen. You see I remember you, although you haven't been here for
years. And isn't that Princess Clia? To be sure! But the other mermaids
are strangers to me; especially the bald-headed one."
"I'm not a mermaid," asserted Cap'n Bill. "I'm a sailor, jes'
a-visitin' the mermaids."
"Our friends are earth dwellers," explained the Queen.
"That's odd," said Muffruff. "I can't remember that any earth dwellers
ever came this way before. I never travel far, you see, for I'm chief
of this disorderly family of seals that live on this island--on it and
off it, that is."
"You're a poor chief," said a big turtle lying beside the seal. "If
your people are disorderly it is your own fault."
Muffruff gave a chuckling laugh. Then, with a movement quick as
lightning, he pushed his head under the shell of the turtle and gave it
a sudden jerk. The huge turtle was tossed up on edge and then turned
flat on its back, where its short legs struggled vainly to right its
overturned body.
[Illustration]
"There!" snorted the Seal, contemptuously. "Perhaps you'll dare
insult me again in the presence of visitors, you old mud-wallower!"
Seeing the plight of the turtle, several young seals came laughingly
wabbling to the spot, and as they approached the helpless creature drew
in his legs and head, and closed his two shells tightly together. The
seals bumped against the turtle and gave it a push that sent it sliding
down the beach like a toboggan, and a minute later it splashed into the
water and sank out of sight.
But that was just what the creature wanted. On shore the upset turtle
was quite helpless; but the mischievous seals saved him. For as soon as
he touched the water he was able to turn and right himself, which he
promptly did. Then he raised his head above the water and asked:
"Is it peace, or war, Muffruff?"
"Whichever you like," answered the Seal, indifferently.
Perhaps the turtle was angry, for it ran on shore with remarkable
swiftness, uttering a shrill cry as it advanced. At once all the other
turtles awoke to life, and with upraised heads joined their comrade
in the rush for the seals. Most of Chief Muffruff's band scrambled
hastily down the rocks and plunged into the water of the sea, without
waiting for the turtles to reach them; but the chief himself was slow
in escaping. It may be he was ashamed to run while the mermaids were
watching, but if this was so he made a great mistake. The turtles
snapped at his fins and tail, and began biting round chunks out
of them, so that Chief Muffruff screamed with pain and anger, and
floundered into the water as fast as he could go. The vengeful turtles
were certainly the victors, and now held undisputed possession of the
island.
Trot laughed joyously at the incident, not feeling a bit sorry for the
old seal who had foolishly begun the battle. Even the gentle queen
smiled as she said:
"These quarrels between the turtles and seals are very frequent, but
they are soon ended. An hour from now they will all be lying asleep
together, just as we found them; but we will not wait for that. Let us
go."
She sank slowly beneath the water again, and the others followed after
her.
[Illustration]
[Illustration: _Chap. 11._
ZOG THE TERRIBLE AND HIS SEA DEVILS]
"The sun must be going under a cloud," said Trot, looking ahead.
They had descended far into the ocean depths again--further, the girl
thought, than they had ever been before.
"No," the Queen answered, after a glance ahead of them; "that is a
cuttlefish, and he is dyeing the sea around him with ink, so that he
can hide from us. Let us turn a little to the left, for we could see
nothing at all in that inky water."
Following her advice they made a broad curve to the left, and at once
the water began to darken in that direction, too.
"Why, there's another of 'em," said Cap'n Bill, as the little party
came to a sudden halt.
"So there is," returned the Queen, and Trot thought there was a little
quiver of anxiety in her voice. "We must go far to the right to escape
the ink."
So they again started, this time almost at a right angle to their
former course, and the little girl inquired:
"How can the cuttlefish color the water so very black?"
"They carry big sacks in front of them, where they conceal the ink,"
Princess Clia answered. "Whenever they choose, the cuttlefish are able
to press out this ink, and it colors the water for a great space around
them."
The direction in which they were now swimming was taking them far out
of their way. Aquareine did not wish to travel very far to the right,
so, when she thought they had gone far enough to escape the inky water,
she turned to lead her party toward the left--the direction in which
she did wish to go. At once, another cloud of ink stained the water,
and drove them to the right again.
"Is anything wrong, ma'am?" asked Cap'n Bill, seeing a frown gather
upon the queen's lovely face.
"I hope not," she said. "But I must warn you that these cuttlefish are
the servants of the terrible sea devils, and from the way they are
acting they seem determined to drive us toward the Devil Caves, which I
wished to avoid."
This admission on the part of their powerful protector, the fairy
mermaid, sent a chill to the hearts of the earth people. Neither spoke
for a time, but finally Cap'n Bill asked in a timid voice:
"Hadn't we better go back, ma'am?"
"Yes," decided Aquareine, after a moment's thought. "I think it will be
wise to retreat. The sea devils are evidently aware of our movements
and wish to annoy us. For my part I have no fear of them, but I do not
care to have you meet such creatures."
But when they turned around to abandon their journey another inky cloud
was to be seen behind them. They really had no choice but to swim in
the only streak of clear water they could find, and the mermaids well
knew this would lead them nearer and nearer to the caves of their
enemies.
But Aquareine led the way, moving very slowly, and the others followed
her. In every other direction they were hemmed in by the black waters,
and they did not dare to halt, because the inky fluid crept swiftly up
behind them and drove them on.
The queen and the princess had now become silent and grave. They swam
on either side of their guests, as if to better protect them.
"Don't look up," whispered Clia, pressing close to the little girl's
side.
"Why not?" asked Trot; and then she did exactly what she had been told
not to do. She lifted her head and saw stretched over them a network of
scrawny crimson arms, interlaced like the branches of trees in winter,
when the leaves have fallen and left them bare.
Cap'n Bill gave a start and muttered "Land sakes!" for he, too, had
gazed upward and seen the crimson network of limbs.
"Are these the sea devils?" asked the child, more curious than
frightened.
"Yes, dear," replied the Queen. "But I advise you to pay no attention
to them. Remember, they cannot touch us."
In order to avoid the threatening arms overhead, which followed them
as they swam, our friends kept near to the bottom of the sea, which
was here thickly covered with rough and jagged rocks. The inky water
had now been left far behind, but, when Trot looked over her shoulder,
she shuddered to find a great crimson monster following closely after
them, with a dozen long, snaky feelers stretched out as if to grab
anyone that lagged behind. And there, at the side of Princess Clia,
was another sea devil, leering silently with his cruel, bulging eyes
at the pretty mermaid. Beside the queen swam still another of their
enemies. Indeed, the sea devils had crept upon them and surrounded them
everywhere except at the front, and Trot began to feel nervous and
worried for the first time.
Cap'n Bill kept mumbling queer words under his breath, for he had a way
of talking to himself when anything "upsot him," as he would quaintly
remark. Trot always knew he was disturbed or in trouble when he began
to "growl."
The only way now open was straight ahead. They swam slowly, yet fast
enough to keep a safe distance from the dreadful creature behind them.
"I'm afraid they are driving us into a trap," whispered the Queen,
softly; "but, whatever happens, do not lose courage, earth friends.
Clia and I are here to protect you, and our fairy powers are sufficient
to keep you from all harm."
"Oh, I don't mind so very much," declared Trot, calmly. "It's like the
fairy adventures in storybooks, and I've often thought I'd like that
kind of adventures, 'cause the story always turns out the right way."
Cap'n Bill growled something just then, but the only words Trot could
make out were, "never lived to tell the tale."
"Oh, pshaw, Cap'n," she said; "we may be in danger, right enough, an'
to be honest I don't like the looks of these sea devils at all. But,
I'm sure it's no _killing_ matter, for we've got the fairy circles all
around us."