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we consider you honored guests. I hope you will like our home," she added a little

shyly.

We are sure to, dear Princess," Trot hastened to say.

Then Clia escorted them through the archway and into a lofty hall. It was not a

mere grotto, but had smoothly built walls of pink coral inlaid with white. Trot at

first thought there was no roof, for looking upward she could see the water all

above them. But the princess, reading her thought, said with a smile, "Yes, there

is a roof, or we would be unable to keep all the sea people out of our palace. But

the roof is made of glass to admit the light."

"Glass!" cried the astonished child. "Then it must be an awful big pane of glass."

"It is," agreed Clia. "Our roofs are considered quite wonderful, and we owe them

to the fairy powers of our queen. Of course, you understand there is no natural

way to make glass under water."

"No indeed," said Cap'n Bill. And then he asked, "Does your queen live here?"

"Yes. She is waiting now, in her throne room, to welcome you. Shall we go in?"

"I'd just as soon," replied Trot rather timidly, but she boldly followed the princess,

who glided through another arch into another small room where several

mermaids were reclining upon couches of coral. They were beautifully dressed

and wore many sparkling jewels.

Her Majesty is awaiting the strangers, Princess Clia," announced one of these.

You are asked to enter at once."

"Come, then," said Clia, and once more taking Trot's hand, she led the girl

through still another arch, while Merla followed just behind them, escorting

Cap'n Bill. They now entered an apartment so gorgeous that the child fairly

gasped with astonishment. The queen's throne room was indeed the grandest and

most beautiful chamber in all the ocean palaces. Its coral walls were thickly

inlaid with mother-of-pearl, exquisitely shaded and made into borders and floral

decorations. In the corners were cabinets, upon the shelves of which many

curious shells were arranged, all beautifully polished. The floor glittered with

gems arranged in patterns of flowers, like a brilliant carpet.

Near the center of the room was a raised platform of mother-of-pearl upon which

stood a couch thickly studded with diamonds, rubies, emeralds and pearls. Here

reclined Queen Aquareine, a being so lovely that Trot gazed upon her spellbound

and Cap'n Bill took off his sailor cap and held it in his hands.

The Sea Fairies