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"Once I was Prince Sacho of Sacharhineolaland, which is a sweet country, but hard to pronounce," he answered. "But in this domain I have but one title and one name, and that is 'Slave." "How came you to be Zog's slave?" asked Clia. "The funniest adventure you ever heard of," asserted the boy with eager pride. "I sailed in a ship that went to pieces in a storm.
What this enemy can be to terrify the great magician I do not know, but Zog is always afraid and never leaves an entrance unguarded. Besides, it is an enchanted castle, you know, and none in the ocean can see it unless Zog wishes him to. So it will be very hard for his enemy to find him." "We wish to escape," said Clia. "Will you help us, Sacho?" "In any way I can," replied the boy.
"No, and it isn't yours," snapped the Spider. "But as it's big enough for us both, I'd like you to go away." "So we will," said Aquareine gently, and at once she moved toward the surface of the water. Trot and Cap'n Bill followed, with Clia, and the child asked, "What island are we near?"
Princess Clia and Merla leading Trot and Cap'n Bill into the palace, while the other mermaids swam swiftly away to their own quarters. "Welcome!" said Clia in her sweet voice. "Here you are surrounded only by friends and are in perfect safety. Please accept our hospitality as freely as you desire, for we consider you honored guests. I hope you will like our home," she added a little shyly.
"Yes indeed." "And can we understand what he says?" "Perfectly," replied the Queen. "I have given you power, while you remain here, to understand the language of every inhabitant of the sea." "That's nice," said Trot gratefully. The Princess Clia swam slowly to one of the walls of the throne room where, at a wave of her hand, a round hole appeared in the coral.
So when Princess Clia chanced to overhear your absurd statements concerning us, we were greatly amused and decided to let you see with your own eyes just what we are like." "I'm glad you did," answered Cap'n Bill, dropping his eyes in some confusion as he remembered his former description of the mermaids.
"Then we will leave here at once," said Aquareine. She approached the window of the room and with one blow of her golden sword shattered the thick pane of glass. The opening thus made was large enough for them to swim through if they were careful not to scrape against the broken points of glass. The queen went first, followed by Trot and Cap'n Bill, with Clia last of all.
"I, my good cook, am Aquareine, the ruler of the mermaids, and this is the Princess Clia." "I've often heard of you, your Majesty," returned the chief cook, bowing respectfully, "and I must say I've heard only good of you. Now that you have unfortunately become my master's prisoners, it will give me pleasure to serve you as well as I am able." "We thank you, good sir," said Aquareine.
"And you are Aquareine, the mermaid queen. You see, I remember you, although you haven't been here for years. And isn't that Princess Clia? To be sure! But the other mermaids are strangers to me, especially the bald-headed one." "I'm not a mermaid," asserted Cap'n Bill. "I'm a sailor jes' a-visitin' the mermaids." "Our friends are earth dwellers," explained the Queen. "That's odd," said Muffruff.
"Climb in," said the Queen. So he pulled himself up and awkwardly tumbled forward into the boat. As he did so, he heard his wooden leg clatter against the seat, and turned around to look at it wonderingly. "It's me, all right!" he muttered. "One meat one, an' one hick'ry one. That's the same as belongs to me!" "Will you lift Mayre aboard?" asked Princess Clia.
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