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CHAPTER 14 - CAP'N JOE AND CAP'N BILL

The rooms Zog had given his prisoners were as handsome as all other parts of

this strange enchanted castle. Gold was used plentifully in the decorations, and

in the Rose Chamber occupied by the mermaids and Trot golden roses formed a

border around the entire room. The sea maidens had evidently been expected, for

the magician had provided couches for them to recline upon similar to the ones

used in the mermaid palaces. The frames were of mother of pearl and the

cushions of soft, white sponges. In the room were toilet tables, mirrors,

ornaments and many articles used by earth people, which they afterward learned

had been plundered by Zog from sunken ships and brought to his castle by his

allies, the sea devils.

While the mermaids were examining and admiring their room, Cap'n Bill went to

the Peony Room to see what it was like and found his quarters were very cozy and

interesting. There were pictures on the wall, portraits of grave-looking porpoises,

bashful seals, and smug and smiling walruses. Some of the wall panels were

formed of mirrors and reflected clearly the interior of the room. Around the ceiling

was a frieze of imitation peonies in silver, and the furniture was peony-shaped,

the broad leaves being bent to form seats and couches. Beside a pretty dressing

table hung a bell cord with a tassel at the end. Cap'n Bill did not know it was a

bell cord, so he pulled it to see what would happen and was puzzled to find that

nothing seemed to happen at all, the bell being too far away for him to hear it.

Then he began looking at the treasures contained in this royal apartment, and

was much pleased with a golden statue of a mermaid that resembled Princess

Clia in feature. A silver flower vase upon a stand contained a bouquet of gorgeous

peonies, "as nat'ral as life," said Cap'n Bill, although he saw plainly that they

must be made of metal.

Trot came in just then to see how her dear friend was located. She entered from

the doorway that connected the two rooms and said, "Isn't it pretty, Cap'n? And

who'd ever think that awful creature Zog owned such a splendid castle and kept

his prisoners in such lovely rooms?"

"I once heard tell," said the sailor, "of a foreign people that sacrificed humans to

please their pagan gods, an' before they killed 'em outright they stuffed the

victims full of good things to eat an' dressed 'em in pretty clothes an' treated 'em

like princes. That's why I don't take much comfort in our fine surroundin's, Trot.

This Zog is a pagan, if ever there was one, an' he don't mean us any good, you

may depend on 't."

The Sea Fairies