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"Could you forge me a golden sword?" asked the Queen, smiling sweetly upon the

goldsmith.

I could, madam, but I won't unless Zog orders me to do it."

Do you like Zog better than you do me?" inquired Aquareine.

No," was the answer. "I hate Zog."

Then won't you make the sword to please me and to show your skill?" pleaded

the pretty mermaid.

I'm afraid of my master. He might not like it," the man replied.

But he will never know," said Princess Clia.

You cannot say what Zog knows or what he doesn't know," growled the man. "I

can't take chances of offending Zog, for I must live with him always as a slave."

With this he turned away and resumed his work, hammering the leaf of a golden

ship.

Cap'n Bill had listened carefully to this conversation, and being a wise old sailor

in his way, he thought he understood the nature of old Agga-Groo better than the

mermaids did. So he went close to the goldsmith, and feeling in the pockets of his

coat drew out a silver compass shaped like a watch. "I'll give you this if you'll

make the queen the golden sword," he said.

Agga-Groo looked at the compass with interest and tested its power of pointing

north. Then he shook his head and handed it back to Cap'n Bill. The sailor dived

into his pocket again and pulled out a pair of scissors, which he placed beside the

compass on the palm of his big hand. "You may have them both," he said.

Agga-Groo hesitated, for he wanted the scissors badly, but finally he shook his

head again. Cap'n Bill added a piece of cord, an iron thimble, some fishhooks,

four buttons and a safety pin, but still the goldsmith would not be tempted. So

with a sigh the sailor brought out his fine, big jackknife, and at sight of this Agga-

Groo's eyes began to sparkle. Steel was not to be had at the bottom of the sea,

although gold was so plentiful. "All right, friend," he said. "Give me that lot of

trinkets and I'll make you a pretty gold sword. But it won't be any good except to

look at, for our gold is so pure that it is very soft."

"Never mind that," replied Cap'n Bill. "All we want is the sword."

The goldsmith set to work at once, and so skillful was he that in a few minutes he

had forged a fine sword of yellow gold with an ornamental handle. The shape was

graceful and the blade keen and slender. It was evident to them all that the

The Sea Fairies