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CHAPTER 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 the 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 dark 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 about changin' us back to our reg'lar shapes?" inquired Cap'n Bill
anxiously.
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