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the great caves were, and much as they were enjoying the ride, they soon began

to feel the heat of the sun.

That's Dead Man's Cave, 'cause a skellington was found there," observed the

child as they passed a dark, yawning mouth in the cliff. "And that's Bumble Cave,

cause the bumblebees make nests in the top of it. And here's Smuggler's Cave,

cause the smugglers used to hide things in it."

She knew all the caves well, and so did Cap'n Bill. Many of them opened just at

the water's edge, and it was possible to row their boat far into their dusky depths.

"And here's Echo Cave," she continued, dreamily, as they slowly moved along the

coast, "and Giant's Cave, and--oh, Cap'n Bill! Do you s'pose there were ever any

giants in that cave?"

"'Pears like there must o' been, Trot, or they wouldn't o' named it that name," he

replied, pausing to wipe his bald head with the red handkerchief while the oars

dragged in the water.

We've never been into that cave, Cap'n," she remarked, looking at the small hole

in the cliff--an archway through which the water flowed. "Let's go in now."

What for, Trot?"

To see if there's a giant there."

Hm. Aren't you 'fraid?"

No, are you? I just don't b'lieve it's big enough for a giant to get into."

Your father was in there once," remarked Cap'n Bill, "an' he says it's the biggest

cave on the coast, but low down. It's full o' water, an' the water's deep down to

the very bottom o' the ocean; but the rock roof's liable to bump your head at high

tide ."

"It's low tide now," returned Trot. "And how could any giant live in there if the roof

is so low down?"

Why, he couldn't, mate. I reckon they must have called it Giant's Cave 'cause it's

so big, an' not 'cause any giant man lived there."

"Let's go in," said the girl again. "I'd like to 'splore it."

"All right," replied the sailor. "It'll be cooler in there than out here in the sun. We

won't go very far, for when the tide turns we mightn't get out again." He picked up

the oars and rowed slowly toward the cave. The black archway that marked its

The Sea Fairies