OFF TO WAR
Raphael followed the President as quickly as he could to the top of the
ocean. The afternoon sun was descending when he lifted his head above
water. Far away to the west he thought he could see the castle of the
Sorcerer, but it was difficult to be sure with the sun shining in his
eyes. He swam slowly toward the President, who was spouting feathery
plumes of vapor as he circled about.
‘Goodness, that creature gave me a start,’ said the President when
Raphael paddled up. And he blew a jet of vapor over the boy.
‘My nerves are not what they used to be,’ he confided. ‘It comes from
being hunted. Anything that looks like a man makes me jump, with
exceptions, of course. What did you make of it?’
‘It was a diver, I think,’ answered Raphael importantly. ‘A diver looks
very terrible,’ he added, to save the President’s feelings. ‘I’ve
often seen them in the movies at home when Aunt Mary let us go.’
‘Well, well,’ sighed the President, ‘if it’s only a diver. I thought
that....’
Just then Mrs. Whale appeared blowing nervously, followed by an ugly,
freckled, snub-nosed little whale some twenty feet in length.
‘Oh, Albert,’ she wailed, ‘what was it? Do you think there is any
danger? I can’t bear the suspense. I don’t care for myself, but Junior
will be frightened out of yards of growth.’
‘It was nothing, dear. Only a diver,’ replied her husband. ‘I don’t
believe there is any danger.’
At this Junior playfully butted his mother.
‘Junior, don’t! Do you want to hurt your mother, who would give every
fluke in her body for you?’
Then she saw Raphael. ‘Why, Mr. Raphael! How nice to see you up here!
Junior’s such a bad boy,’ she apologized proudly. ‘He’s getting his
strainers. Don’t you think he looks like the President? Stop it,
Junior! Do you want me to slap you? There, shake a fluke with Mr.
Raphael. Mr. Raphael comes from the Land, where they say we once
lived. What is the world coming to!’
Junior said nothing, but bumped his mother again as if by accident.
‘Now, Junior, do stop!’ she exclaimed almost tearfully. ‘Where are your
manners? Children are so difficult! I always try to reason with my
little ones, but sometimes it seems as though Junior just won’t listen.
My husband always laughs at me, but he spoils Junior just as badly as I
do. What do you think, Mr. Raphael?’
Raphael did not have time to say what he thought, for just then a small
voice fluted, ‘Mr. President, the Navy has formed in review.’ It was
the sea horse.
‘I have enjoyed my blow,’ said the President more calmly. ‘And now I
must leave you two to chat.’
‘Your Excellency,’ begged Raphael, ‘I want to know what happens. May I
go down with you?’
‘Why, certainly, Mr. Raphael. I should be delighted. Good-bye, dear,’
called the President to his wife; ‘don’t go too far away.’ Then he
turned to Raphael. ‘If you will catch hold of my fluke, we’ll be down
in a moment.’
Raphael did as he was told. The whale rounded his back, lifted his tail
out of water, and sounded with a splash.
Down they shot into the twilight world of the ocean. Raphael did not
dare to breathe, and for a long time did not even open his eyes.
At last they came to rest by the gateway of the amphitheater fifty
yards or so off bottom. Immediately a host of small fish swam up beside
them, pushing and struggling for the best view of the parade. Gray
police sharks drifted slowly up and down the line.
At a signal from the President, a huge sawfish approached and saluted
with a sweep of his tail. He had small up-staring eyes and moved his
saw sideways like a scythe.
‘All present, Mr. President,’ he intoned.
The right whale returned the salute and ordered, ‘Carry on.’
The sawfish saluted again and withdrew. The light was growing dimmer.
Shadows clung to the rock floor, and Raphael had difficulty in seeing
the black cliffs across the arena.
The review began in silence. Two Admirals, a swordfish and a sawfish,
followed by four Rear Admirals, passed slowly before the President.
Behind them swam, rank on rank, the Navy of the Atlantic led by a
brilliant band of drum and trumpet fish. Eight deep they drifted past
the reviewing stand in massed companies of a hundred--swordfish,
sawfish, spearfish, porpoises, leopard sharks, devilfish, sting rays,
and even a company of octopi which sculled along in the rear.
Behind them followed a second division composed of smaller fish led by
a sergeant major and queen trigger fish with a host of flying-fish for
scouts.
When the Navy had swum majestically out of the gateway, the crowd
broke up into noisy little groups of non-combatants. Raphael saw a
gathering of crabs arguing among themselves, while a large blue-green
lobster ambled over to join the fight. A starfish, unmindful of the
excitement, slept like a red rubber sponge on a coral ledge.
The ocean silence grew more oppressive as the light failed. Raphael was
watching a hermit crab scuttle round hunting for an empty shell to hide
in, when the sea horse swam up.
‘That creature killed both of the octopi guards,’ he said. ‘There must
have been a terrible fight. What do you suppose he was doing here?’
‘He was probably one of the Sorcerer’s spies,’ answered Raphael.
‘Do you really think so?’
‘Yes.’
‘I wonder how much he discovered?’ mused the Equerry. ‘I couldn’t find
out from the other fish. Some said one thing and some another.’
Just then the President swam up. He loomed dark and indistinct,
stirring up the phosphorus in the water which shone about him like
moonlight around the edges of a black cloud.
‘If you will spend the night with us, while the Navy drives that
monster from the Sea, I will show you many wonderful things,’ he urged
Raphael. ‘I know deep valleys in which all sorts of curious fish live,
fish with no eyes, fish with windows in their stomachs, fish who light
up the pits of the Sea with their own lanterns, besides numerous other
serpents and sea beasts.’
For a moment Raphael was tempted to stay and see these wonders. Then he
thought of Cassandra and gave up the idea. He was turning to bid the
President good-bye, when a small needlefish darted up.
‘Mr. President,’ whistled the needlefish, ‘Admiral Sawfish has sent me
with dispatches informing you that the enemy who invaded the Council
Chamber has entirely disappeared.’ And he handed Mr. Right Whale a
bundle of tightly rolled seaweed.
Raphael was worried.
‘Mr. President,’ he implored, ‘will you help me? The Sorcerer may have
been warned already of our plans to get into the castle.’
‘I shall help you as I promised,’ answered the whale, ‘but I don’t know
whether there is any entrance to the castle under the sea. If you will
wait, I will have my scouts look for one.’
‘If you would lend me a guide, I could scout for myself,’ urged Raphael.
‘Very well,’ said the President. ‘I must apologize for not providing
you with an escort to the island, but the Navy has gone. I am sure you
understand my position. My Equerry, however, will guide you.’
Raphael bade the President farewell and sent his respects to the First
Lady of the Ocean and her son.
‘Good-bye,’ called His Excellency. ‘Good luck. Farewell. Farewell.’
As he spoke the President drifted off, his voice grew fainter and
fainter, the darkness deepened, and Raphael saw him no more.