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Oh, I hadn't heard o' that, Bill, but I'm not surprised," replied Brother Joe.

Many a sailor gets to wear a wooden leg in time. Mine's hick'ry."

"So's mine," said Cap'n Bill with a air of pride. "I'm glad I've run across you, Joe,

for I often wondered what had become of you. Seems too bad, though, to have to

spend all your life under water."

What's the odds?" asked Cap'n Joe. "I never could keep away from the water

since I was a boy, an' there's more dangers to be met floatin' on it than there is

soakin' in it. An' one other thing pleases me when I think on it: I'm parted from

my wife, a mighty good woman with a tongue like a two-edge sword, an' my pore

widder'll get the insurance money an' live happy. As fer me, Bill, I'm a good deal

happier than I was when she kep' scoldin' me from mornin' to night every minute

I was home."

"Is Zog a kind master?" asked Trot.

"I can't say he's kind," replied Cap'n Joe, "for he's as near a devil as any livin'

critter CAN be. He grumbles an' growls in his soft voice all day, an' hates himself

an' everybody else. But I don't see much of him. There's so many of us slaves here

that Zog don't pay much attention to us, an' we have a pretty good time when the

ol' magician is shut up in his den, as he mostly is."

"Could you help us to escape?" asked the child.

"Why, I don't know how," admitted Cap'n Joe. "There's magic all around us, and

we slaves are never allowed to leave this great cave. I'll do what I can, o' course,

but Sacho is the boy to help you if anyone can. That little chap knows a heap, I

can tell you. So now, if nothin' more's wanted, I must get back to work."

What work do you do?" Cap'n Bill asked.

I sew buttons on Zog's clothes. Every time he gets mad, he busts his buttons off,

an' I have to sew 'em on again. As he's mad most o' the time, it keeps me busy."

"I'll see you again, won't I, Joe?" said Cap'n Bill.

"No reason why you shouldn't, if you manage to keep alive," said Cap'n Joe. "But

you mustn't forget, Bill, this Zog has his grip on you, an' I've never known

anything to escape him yet."

Saying this, the old sailor began to stump toward the door, but tripped his foot

against his wooden leg and gave a swift dive forward. He would have fallen flat

had he not grabbed the drapery at the doorway and saved himself by holding fast

to it with both hands. Even then he rolled and twisted so awkwardly before he

The Sea Fairies