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It's a thing I never longed for," the sailor replied. "You see, we had no business to

go on a trip with the mermaids to begin with. I've allus heard tell that mermaids

is dangerous, an' no one as met 'em ever lived to tell the tale. Eh, Trot?"

That's what you said, Cap'n Bill."

So I guess we're done for, one way 'r 'nother, an' it don't matter much which. But

Trot's a good child, an' mighty young an' tender. It don't seem like her time has

come to die. I'd like to have her sent safe home to her mother. So I've got this 'ere

proposition to make, Zog. If your magic could make ME die twice, or even THREE

times fer good measure, why you go ahead an' do it an' I won't complain. All I ask

is fer you to send this little girl safe back to dry land again."

"Don't you do it, Zog!" cried Trot indignantly, and turning to Cap'n Bill, she

added, "I'm not goin' to leave you down here in all this mess, Cap'n, and don't you

think it. If one of us gets out of the muddle we're in, we'll both get out, so don't

you make any bargains with Zog to die twice."

Zog listened to this conversation very carefully. "The dying does not amount to

much," he said. "It is the thinking about it that hurts you mortals most. I've

watched many a shipwreck at sea, and the people would howl and scream for

hours before the ship broke up. Their terror was very enjoyable. But when the

end came, they all drowned as peacefully as if they were going to sleep, so it

didn't amuse me at all."

"I'm not worrying," said Trot.

Ner me," said Cap'n Bill. "You'll find we can take what comes jes' as easy as

anybody."

"I do not expect to get much from you poor mortals," said Zog carelessly. "You are

merely a side show to my circus, a sort of dessert to my feast of vengeance. When

the time comes, I can find a hundred ways to kill you. My most interesting

prisoners are these pretty mermaids, who claim that none of their race has ever

yet died or been destroyed. The first mermaid ever created is living yet, and I am

told she is none other than Queen Aquareine. So I have a pretty problem before

me to invent some way to destroy the mermaids or put them out of existence. And

it will require some thought."

"Also, it will require some power you do not possess," suggested the Queen.

"That may be," replied Zog softly. "But I am going to experiment, and I believe I

shall be able to cause you a lot of pain and sorrow before I finally make an end of

The Sea Fairies