but the Americans didn't, and when I got to France I paid a napoleon
to see Napoleon with his bones apart. He was--"
"Of course, you mean--" Trot was beginning, but the king would not give
her a chance to correct him this time.
"He was very hungry for Hungary," he continued, "and was Russian so
fast toward the Poles that I thought he'd discover them. So, as I was
not accorded a royal welcome, I took French leave and came home again."
"But the pain--"
"On the way home," continued Anko, calmly, "I was a little
absent-minded and ate an anchor. There was a long chain attached to it;
and as I continued to swallow the anchor I continued to eat the chain.
I never realized what I had done until I found a ship on the other end
of the chain. Then I bit it off."
"The ship?" asked Trot.
"No; the chain. I didn't care for the ship, as I saw it contained some
skippers. On the way home the chain and anchor began to lie heavily
on my stomach. I didn't seem to digest them properly, and by the time
I got to my palace, where you will notice there is no throne, I was
thrown into throes of severe pain. So I at once sent for Dr. Shark--"
"Are all your doctors sharks?" asked the child.
"Yes; aren't your doctors sharks?" he replied.
"Not all of them," said Trot.
"That is true," remarked Cap'n Bill. "But when you talk of lawyers--"
"I'm not talking of lawyers," said Anko, reprovingly; "I'm talking
about my pain. I don't imagine anyone could suffer more than I did with
that stomach ache."
"Did you suffer long?" inquired Trot.
"Why, about seven thousand four hundred and eighty-two feet and--"
"I mean a long time."
"It seemed like a long time," answered the King. "Dr. Shark said I
ought to put a mustard poultice on my stomach; so I uncoiled myself and
summoned my servants, and they began putting on the mustard plaster. It
had to be bound all around me, so it wouldn't slip off, and I began to
look like an express package. In about four weeks fully one-half of the
pain had been covered by the mustard poultice, which got so hot that it
hurt me worse than the stomach ache did."
"I know," said Trot. "I had one, once."
"One what?" asked Anko.
"A mustard plaster. They smart pretty bad, but I guess they're a good
thing."
"I got myself unwrapped as soon as I could," continued the King, "and
then I hunted for the doctor, who hid himself until my anger had
subsided. He has never sent in a bill, so I think he must be terribly
ashamed of himself."
"You're lucky, sir, to have escaped so easy," said Cap'n Bill. "But you
seem pretty well now."
"Yes, I'm more careful of what I eat," replied the Sea Serpent. "But I
was saying when Trot interrupted me, that you all belong to me, because
I have saved your lives. By the law of the ocean you must obey me in
everything."
The sailor scowled a little at hearing this, but Trot laughed, and said:
"The law of the ocean isn't _our_ law, 'cause we live on land."
"Just now you are living in the ocean," declared Anko, "and as long as
you live here, you must obey my commands."
"What are your commands?" inquired the child.
"Ah; that's the point I was coming to," returned the King, with his
comical smile. "The ocean is a beautiful place, and we who belong here
love it dearly. In many ways it's a nicer place for a home than the
earth, for we have no sunstrokes, mosquitoes, earthquakes or candy
shops to bother us. But I am convinced that the ocean is no proper
dwelling place for earth people, and I believe the mermaids did an
unwise thing when they invited you to visit them."
"I don't," protested the girl. "We've had a fine time; haven't we,
Cap'n Bill?"
"Well, it's been diff'rent from what I expected," admitted the sailor.
[Illustration]
"Our only thought was to give the earth people pleasure, your Majesty,"
pleaded Aquareine.
"I know; I know, my dear Queen; and it was very good of you," replied
Anko. "But, still it was an unwise act, for earth people are as
constantly in danger under water as we would be upon the land. So,
having won the right to command you all, I order you to take little
Mayre and Cap'n Bill straight home, and there restore them to their
natural forms. It's a dreadful condition, I know, and they must each
have two stumbling legs instead of a strong, beautiful fishtail; but it
is the fate of earth dwellers, and they cannot escape it."
"In my case, your Majesty, made it _one_ leg," suggested Cap'n Bill.
"Ah, yes; I remember. One leg, and a wooden stick to keep it company.
I issue this order, my friends, not because I am not fond of your
society, but to keep you from getting into more trouble in a country
where all is strange and unnatural to you. Am I right, or do you think
I am wrong?"
"You're quite correct, sir," said Cap'n Bill, nodding his head in
approval.
"Well, I'm ready to go home," said Trot. "But in spite of Zog, I've
enjoyed my visit, and I shall always love the mermaids for being so
good to me."
That speech pleased Aquareine and Clia, who smiled upon the child, and
kissed her affectionately.
"We shall escort you home at once," announced the Queen.
"But before you go," said King Anko, "I will give you a rare treat. It
is one you will remember as long as you live. You shall see every inch
of the mightiest sea serpent in the world, all at one time!"
As he spoke, the purple and gold cloth was lifted by unseen hands and
disappeared from view. And now Cap'n Bill and Trot looked down upon
thousands and thousands of coils of the sea serpent's body, which
filled all of the space at the bottom of the immense circular room.
It reminded them of a great coil of garden hose, only it was so much
bigger around, and very much longer.
Except for the astonishing size of the Ocean King, the sight was not
an especially interesting one; but they told old Anko that they were
pleased to see him, because it was evident he was very proud of his
figure.
Then the cloth descended again and covered all but the head; after
which they bade the king good-bye and thanked him for all his kindness
to them.
"I used to think sea serpents were horrid creatures," said Trot; "but
now I know they are good and--and--and--"
"And big," added Cap'n Bill, realizing his little friend could not find
another word that was complimentary.
[Illustration: _Chap. 21._
KING JOE]
As they swam out of Anko's palace and the doll-faced fishes left them,
Aquareine asked:
"Would you rather go back to our mermaid home for a time, and rest
yourselves, or would you prefer to start for Giant's Cave at once?"
"I guess we'd better go back home," decided Trot. "To our own home, I
mean. We've been away quite a while, and King Anko seemed to think it
was best."
"Very well," replied the Queen. "Let us turn in this direction, then."
"You can say good-bye to Merla for us," continued Trot. "She was very
nice to us, an' 'specially to Cap'n Bill."
"So she was, mate," agreed the sailor; "an' a prettier lady I never
knew, even if she is a mermaid, beggin' your pardon, ma'am."
"Are we going anywhere near Zog's castle?" asked the girl.
"Our way leads directly past the opening in the dome," said Aquareine.
"Then, let's stop and see what Sacho and the others are doing,"
suggested Trot. "They can't be slaves any longer, you know, 'cause they
haven't any master. I wonder if they're any happier than they were
before?"
"They seemed to be pretty happy as it was," remarked Cap'n Bill.
"It will do no harm to pay them a brief visit," said Princess Clia.
"All danger disappeared from the cavern with the destruction of Zog."
"I really ought to say good-bye to Brother Joe," observed the
sailorman. "I won't see him again, you know, and I don't want to seem
unbrotherly."
"Very well," said the Queen, "we will reënter the cavern, for I, too,
am anxious to know what will be the fate of the poor slaves of the
magician."
When they came to the hole in the top of the dome they dropped through
it and swam leisurely down toward the castle. The water was clear and
undisturbed and the silver castle looked very quiet and peaceful under
the radiant light that still filled the cavern.
They met no one at all, and passing around to the front of the
building they reached the broad entrance and passed into the golden
hall.
Here a strange scene met their eyes. All the slaves of Zog, hundreds in
number, were assembled in the room; while standing before the throne
formerly occupied by the wicked magician was the boy Sacho, who was
just beginning to make a speech to his fellow slaves.
"At one time or another," he said, "all of us were born upon the
earth and lived in the thin air; but now we are all living as the
fishes live, and our home is in the water of the ocean. One by one we
have come to this place, having been saved from drowning by Zog, the
Magician, and by him given power to exist in comfort under water. The
powerful master who made us his slaves has now passed away forever,
but we continue to live, and are unable to return to our native land,
where we would quickly perish. There is no one but us to inherit Zog's
possessions, and so it will be best for us to remain in this fine
castle and occupy ourselves as we have done before, in providing for
the comforts of the community. Only in labor is happiness to be found,
and we may as well labor for ourselves as for others.
"But we must have a king. Not an evil, cruel master, like Zog, but one
who will maintain order and issue laws for the benefit of all. We will
govern ourselves most happily by having a ruler, or head, selected from
among ourselves by popular vote. Therefore, I ask you to decide who
shall be our king, for only one who is accepted by all can sit in Zog's
throne."
The slaves applauded this speech, but they seemed puzzled to make the
choice of a ruler. Finally the chief cook came forward and said:
"We all have our duties to perform, and so cannot spend the time to be
king. But you, Sacho, who were Zog's own attendant, have now no duties
at all. So it will be best for you to rule us. What say you, comrades?
Shall we make Sacho king?"
"Yes, yes!" they all cried.
"But I do not wish to be king," replied Sacho. "A king is a useless
sort of person, who merely issues orders for others to carry out. I
want to be busy and useful. Whoever is king will need a good attendant,
as well as an officer who will see that his commands are obeyed. I am
used to such duties, having served Zog in this same way."
"Who, then, has the time to rule over us?" asked Agga-Groo, the
goldsmith.
"It seems to me that Cap'n Joe is the proper person for king," replied
Sacho. "His former duty was to sew buttons on Zog's garments; so now he
is out of a job and has plenty of time to be king, for he can sew on
his own buttons. What do you say, Cap'n Joe?"
"Oh, I don't mind," agreed Cap'n Joe; "that is, if you all want me to
rule you."
"We do!" shouted the slaves, glad to find some one willing to take the
job.
"But I'll want a few pointers," continued Cap'n Bill's brother. "I
ain't used to this sort o' work, you know, an' if I ain't properly
posted I'm liable to make mistakes."
"Sacho will tell you," said Tom Atto, encouragingly. "And now I must go
back to the kitchen and look after my dumplings, or you people won't
have any dinner to-day."
"Very well," announced Sacho. "I hereby proclaim Cap'n Joe elected King
of the Castle--which is the Enchanted Castle no longer. You may all
return to your work."
The slaves went away well contented, and the boy and Cap'n Joe now came
forward to greet their visitors.
"We're on our way home," explained Cap'n Bill, "an' we don't expec' to
travel this way again. But it pleases me to know, Joe, that you're the
king o' such a fine castle, an' I'll rest easier now that you're well
pervided for."
"Oh, I'm all right, Bill," returned Cap'n Joe. "It's an easy life here,
an' a peaceful one. I wish you was as well fixed."
"If ever you need friends, Sacho, or any assistance or counsel, come to
me," said the Mermaid Queen to the boy.
[Illustration]
"Thank you, madam," he replied. "Now that Zog has gone, I am sure we
shall be very safe and contented. But I shall not forget to come to
you if we need you. We are not going to waste any time in anger, or
revenge, or evil deeds; so I believe we shall prosper from now on."
"I'm sure you will," declared Trot.
They now decided that they must continue their journey, and as neither
Sacho nor King Joe could ascend to the top of the dome, without
swimming in the human way, which was slow and tedious work for them,
the good-byes were said at the castle entrance, and the four visitors
started on their return.
Trot took one last view of the beautiful silver castle from the hole
high up in the dome, which was now open and unguarded, and the next
moment she was in the broad ocean again, swimming toward home beside
her mermaid friends.
[Illustration]
[Illustration: _Chap. 22._
TROT LIVES TO TELL THE TALE]
Aquareine was thoughtful for a time. Then she drew from her finger a
ring--a plain gold band, set with a pearl of great value--and gave it
to the little girl.
"If at any period of your life the mermaids can be of service to you,
my dear," she said, "you have but to come to the edge of the ocean and
call 'Aquareine.' If you are wearing this ring at the time I shall
instantly hear you and come to your assistance."
"Thank you!" cried the child, slipping the ring over her own chubby
finger, which it fitted perfectly. "I shall never forget that I have
good and loyal friends in the ocean, you may be sure."
Away and away they swam, swiftly and in a straight line, keeping in the
middle water where they were not liable to meet many sea people. They
passed a few schools of fishes, where the teachers were explaining to
the young ones how to swim properly, and to conduct themselves in a
dignified manner; but Trot did not care to stop and watch the exercises.
Although the queen had lost her fairy wand in Zog's domed chamber, she
had still enough magic power to carry them all across the ocean in
wonderfully quick time, and before Trot and Cap'n Bill were aware of
the distance they had come the mermaids paused, while Princess Clia
said:
"Now we must go a little deeper; for here is the Giant's Cave, and the
entrance to it is near the bottom of the sea."
"What, already!" cried the girl, joyfully; and then through the darker
water they swam, passing through the rocky entrance, and began to
ascend slowly into the azure-blue water of the cave.
"You've been awfully good to us, and I don't know jus' how to thank
you," said Trot, earnestly.
"We have enjoyed your visit to us," said beautiful Queen Aquareine,
smiling upon her little friend, "and you may easily repay any pleasure
we have given you by speaking well of the mermaids when you hear
ignorant earth people condemning us."
"I'll do that, of course," exclaimed the child.
"How 'bout changin' us back to our reg'lar shapes?" inquired Cap'n
Bill, anxiously.
[Illustration]
"That will be very easy," replied Princess Clia, with her merry laugh.
"See! here we are at the surface of the water."
They pushed their heads above the blue water and looked around the
cave. It was silent and deserted. Floating gently near the spot where
they had left it was their own little boat.
Cap'n Bill swam to it, took hold of the side, and then turned an
inquiring face toward the mermaids.
"Climb in," said the Queen.
So he pulled himself up and awkwardly tumbled forward into the boat. As
he did so he heard his wooden leg clatter against the seat, and turned
around to look at it wonderingly.
"It's me, all right!" he muttered. "One meat one, an' one hick'ry one.
That's the same as belongs to me!"
"Will you lift Mayre aboard?" asked Princess Clia.
The old sailor aroused himself, and as Trot lifted up her arms he
seized them and drew her safely into the boat. She was dressed just as
usual, and her chubby legs wore shoes and stockings. Strangely enough,
neither of them were at all wet, or even damp in any part of their
clothing.
"I wonder where our legs have been while we've been gone?" mused Cap'n
Bill, gazing at his little friend in great delight.
"And I wonder what's become of our pretty pink and green scaled tails!"
returned the girl, laughing with glee, for it seemed good to be herself
again.
Queen Aquareine and Princess Clia were a little way off, lying with
their pretty faces just out of the water, while their hair floated in
soft clouds around them.
"Good-bye, friends!" they called.
"Good-bye!" shouted both Trot and Cap'n Bill, and the little girl blew
two kisses from her fingers toward the mermaids.
Then the faces disappeared, leaving little ripples on the surface of
the water.
Cap'n Bill picked up the oars and slowly headed the boat toward the
mouth of the cave.
"I wonder, Trot, if your ma has missed us," he remarked, uneasily.
"Of course not," replied the girl. "She's been sound asleep, you know."
As the boat crept out into the bright sunlight they were both silent;
but each sighed with pleasure at beholding their own everyday world
again.
Finally Trot said, softly:
"The land's the best, Cap'n."
"It is, mate; for livin' on," he answered.
"But, I'm glad to have seen the mermaids," she added.
"Well, so 'm I, Trot," he agreed. "But, I wouldn't 'a' believed any
mortal could ever 'a' seen 'em an'--an'--"
Trot laughed merrily.
"An' lived to tell the tale!" she cried, her eyes dancing with
mischief. "Oh, Cap'n Bill, how little we mortals know!"
"True enough, mate," he replied; "but we're a-learnin' something ev'ry
day."
[Illustration: THE END]
* * * * *
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| Transcriber Notes: |
| |
| Note: The equals sign is used to surround underscores to |
| surround _italic text_. |
| |
| Fixed various punctuation. |
| |
| P. 95. "courses. A lobster spilled some soup on Cap'n Bill's bald |
| head" and "and made him yell for a minute, because it was hot and |
| he" These two lines were swapped around. |
| P. 105. "Yes; and they are the only creatures of the ocean which |
| none to-day, for we are going near to the dismal caverns we |
| greatly fear," replied Aquareine. "I hope we shall meet where |
| they live." These lines were swapped, they should read: |
| "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." Changed. |
| P. 207. Chapter 19 title "King Anco" changed to "King Anko". |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------+