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window, engaged in knitting." The queen paused to raise an arm and wave it

slowly to and fro. Then she added, "Now your good mother is asleep, little Mayre,

and instead of worries I promise her pleasant dreams."

Won't someone rob the house while she's asleep?" asked the child anxiously.

No, dear. My charm will protect the house from any intrusion."

That's fine!" exclaimed Trot in delight.

It's jes' won-erful!" said Cap'n Bill. "I wish I knew it was so. Trot's mother has a

awful sharp tongue when she's worried."

"You may see for yourselves," declared the Queen, and waved her hand again. At

once they saw before them the room in the cottage, with Mayre's mother asleep by

the window. Her knitting was in her lap, and the cat lay curled up beside her

chair. It was all so natural that Trot thought she could hear the clock over the

fireplace tick. After a moment the scene faded away, when the queen asked with

another smile, "Are you satisfied?"

Oh yes!" cried Trot. "But how could you do it?"

It is a form of mirage," was the reply. "We are able to bring any earth scene

before us whenever we wish. Sometimes these scenes are reflected above the

water so that mortals also observe them."

"I've seen 'em," said Cap'n Bill, nodding. "I've seen mirages, but I never knowed

what caused 'em afore now."

"Whenever you see anything you do not understand and wish to ask questions, I

will be very glad to answer them," said the Queen.

"One thing that bothers me," said Trot, "is why we don't get wet, being in the

ocean with water all around us."

That is because no water really touches you," explained the Queen. "Your bodies

have been made just like those of the mermaids in order that you may fully enjoy

your visit to us. One of our peculiar qualities is that water is never permitted to

quite touch our bodies, or our gowns. Always there remains a very small space,

hardly a hair's breadth, between us and the water, which is the reason we are

always warm and dry."

"I see," said Trot. "That's why you don't get soggy or withered."

Exactly," laughed the Queen, and the other mermaids joined in her merriment.

The Sea Fairies