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"Never fear," said Merla, "I'll take care of you on our journey, and in our palaces

you will find no sharks at all."

Can't they get in?" he asked anxiously.

No. The palaces of the mermaids are inhabited only by themselves."

Is there anything else to be afraid of in the sea?" asked the little girl after they

had swum quite a while in silence.

"One or two things, my dear," answered Princess Clia. "Of course, we mermaids

have great powers, being fairies; yet among the sea people is one nearly as

powerful as we are, and that is the devilfish."

"I know," said Trot. "I've seen 'em."

You have seen the smaller ones, I suppose, which sometimes rise to the surface

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

only second cousins of the terrible deep-sea devilfish to which I refer."

Those ones are bad enough, though," declared Cap'n Bill. "If you know any worse

ones, I don't want a interduction to 'em."

The monster devilfish inhabit caves in the rugged, mountainous regions of the

ocean," resumed the Princess, "and they are evil spirits who delight in injuring all

who meet them. None lives near our palaces, so there is little danger of your

meeting any while you are our guests."

"I hope we won't," said Trot.

"None for me," added Cap'n Bill. "Devils of any sort ought to be give a wide berth,

an' devilfish is worser ner sea serpents."

Oh, do you know the sea serpents?" asked Merla as if surprised.

Not much I don't," answered the sailor, "but I've heard tell of folks as has seen

'em."

Did they ever live to tell the tale?" asked Trot.

Sometimes," he replied. "They're jes' ORful creatures, mate."

How easy it is to be mistaken," said Princess Clia softly. "We know the sea

serpents very well, and we like them."

"You do!" exclaimed Trot.

The Sea Fairies