_Chap. 8._
A BANQUET UNDER WATER]
The palaces of the mermaids were all aglow with lights as theyapproached them, and Trot was amazed at the sight.
"Where did the lamps come from?" she asked their guide, wonderingly.
"They are not lamps, my dear," replied Merla, much amused at thissuggestion; "we use electric lights in our palaces, and have done sofor thousands of years--long before the earth people knew of electriclights."
"But where do you get 'em?" inquired Cap'n Bill, who was as muchastonished as the girl.
"From a transparent jellyfish which naturally emits a strong andbeautiful electric light," was the answer. "We have many hundreds ofthem in our palaces, as you will presently see."
Their way was now lighted by small phosphorescent creatures scatteredabout the sea gardens and which Merla informed them were hyalaea, orsea glowworms. But their light was dim when compared to that of theelectric jellyfish, which they found placed in clusters upon theceilings of all the rooms of the palaces, rendering them light as day.
Trot watched these curious creatures with delight, for delicatelycolored lights ran around their bodies in every direction in acontinuous stream, shedding splendid rays throughout the vast halls.
A group of mermaids met the visitors in the hall of the main palace,and told Merla the queen had instructed them to show the guests totheir rooms as soon as they arrived. So Trot followed two of themthrough several passages, after which they swam upward and entered acircular opening. There were no stairs here, because there was no needof them, and the little girl soon found herself in an upper room thatwas very beautiful indeed.
All the walls were covered with iridescent shells, polished till theyresembled mother-of-pearl, and upon the glass ceiling were clustersof the brilliant electric jellyfish, rendering the room bright andcheerful with their radiance. In one corner stood a couch of whitecoral, with gossamer draperies floating around it from the four highposts. Upon examining it, the child found the couch was covered withsoft, amber sponges, which rendered it very comfortable to lie upon.In a wardrobe she found several beautiful gossamer gowns, richlyembroidered in colored seaweeds, and these Mayre was told she mightwear while she remained the guest of the mermaids. She also found atoilet table with brushes, combs and other conveniences, all of whichwere made of polished tortoise-shell.
Really, the room was more dainty and comfortable than one might supposepossible in a palace far beneath the surface of the sea, and Trot wasgreatly delighted with her new quarters.
The mermaid attendants assisted the child to dress herself in oneof the prettiest robes, which she found to be quite dry and fittedperfectly. Then the sea-maids brushed and dressed her hair, and tied itwith ribbons of cherry-red seaweed. Finally they placed around her necka string of pearls that would have been priceless upon the earth, andnow the little girl announced she was ready for supper and had a goodappetite.
Cap'n Bill had been given a similar room, near Trot's; but the oldsailor refused to change his clothes for any others offered him, forwhich reason he was ready for supper long before his comrade.
"What bothers me, mate," he said to the little girl, as they swamtoward the great banquet hall where Queen Aquareine awaited them, "iswhy we ain't crushed by the pressin' of the water agin us, bein' aswe're down here in the deep sea."
"How's that, Cap'n? Why should we be crushed?" she asked.
"Why, ev'r'body knows that the deeper you go in the sea the more thewater presses agin you," he explained. "Even the divers in their steeljackets can't stand it very deep down. An' here we be, miles from thetop o' the water, I 'spect, an' we don't feel crowded a bit."
"I know why," answered the child, wisely. "The water don't touch us,you see. If it did, it might crush us; but it don't. It's always held alittle way off from our bodies by the magic of the fairy mermaids."
"True enough, Trot," declared the sailorman. "What an idjut I was notto think o' that myself!"
In the royal banquet hall were assembled many of the mermaids, headedby the lovely queen, and as soon as their earth guests arrivedAquareine ordered the meal to be served.
The lobsters again waited upon the table, wearing little white caps andaprons which made them look very funny; but Trot was so hungry afterher afternoon's excursion that she did not pay as much attention tothe lobsters as she did to her supper, which was very delicious andconsisted of many courses. A lobster spilled some soup on Cap'n Bill'sbald head and made him yell for a minute, because it was hot and hehad not expected it, but the queen apologized very sweetly for theawkwardness of her servants, and the sailor soon forgot all about theincident in his enjoyment of the meal.
After the feast ended they all went to the big reception room, wheresome of the mermaids played upon harps while others sang pretty songs.They danced together, too--a graceful swimming-dance, so queer to thelittle girl that it interested and amused her greatly.
Cap'n Bill seemed a bit bashful among so many beautiful mermaids, yethe was pleased when the queen offered him a place beside her throne,where he could see and hear all the delightful entertainment providedfor the royal guests. He did not talk much, being a man of few wordsexcept when alone with Trot; but his light blue eyes were big and roundwith wonder at the sights he saw.
Trot and the sailorman went to bed early and slept soundly upon theirsponge-covered couches. The little girl never wakened until long afterthe sun was shining down through the glass roof of her room, and whenshe opened her eyes she was startled to find a number of big, small andmiddle-sized fishes staring at her through the glass.
"That's one bad thing 'bout this mermaid palace," she said to herself;"it's too public. Ever'thing in the sea can look at you through theglass as much as it likes. I wouldn't mind fishes looking at me if theyhadn't such big eyes, an'--goodness me! There's a monster that's allhead! And there goes a fish with a sail on its back; an' here's oldMummercubble, I'm sure, for he's got a head just like a pig."
She might have watched the fishes on the roof for hours, had she notremembered it was late and breakfast must be ready. So she dressed, andmade her toilet, and swam down into the palace to find Cap'n Bill andthe mermaids politely waiting for her to join them.
The sea maidens were as fresh and lovely as ever, while each and allproved sweet tempered and merry, even at the breakfast table--and thatis where people are cross, if they ever are. During the meal the queensaid:
"I shall take you this morning to the most interesting part of theocean, where the largest and most remarkable sea creatures live. Andwe must visit King Anko, too, for the sea serpent would feel hurt andslighted if I did not bring my guests to call upon him."
"That will be nice," said Trot, eagerly; but Cap'n Bill asked:
"Is there any danger, ma'am?"
"I think not," replied Queen Aquareine. "I cannot see that you willbe exposed to any danger at all, so long as I am with you. But we aregoing into the neighborhood of some fierce and even terrible beings,which would attack you at once did they suspect you to be earth people.So, in order to guard your safety, I intend to draw the Magic Circlearound both of you before we start."
"What is the Magic Circle?" asked Trot.
"A fairy charm that prevents any enemy from touching you. No monster ofthe sea, however powerful, will be able to reach your body while youare protected by the Magic Circle," declared the Queen.
"Oh, then, I'll not be a bit afraid," returned the child, with perfectconfidence.
"Am I to have the Magic Circle drawn around me, too?" asked Cap'n Bill.
"Of course," answered Aquareine. "You will need no other protectionthan that, yet Princess Clia and I will both be with you. For to-day Ishall leave Merla to rule our palaces in my place until we return."
No sooner was breakfast finished than Trot was anxious to start. Thegirl was also curious to discover what the powerful Magic Circle mightprove to be, but she was a little disappointed in the ceremony. Thequeen merely grasped her fairy wand in her right ha
nd and swam aroundthe child in a circle, from left to right. Then she took her wand inher left hand and swam around Trot in another circle, from right toleft.
"Now, my dear," said she, "you are safe from any creature we are liableto meet."
She performed the same ceremony for Cap'n Bill, who was doubtful aboutthe Magic Circle, because he felt the same after it as he had before.But he said nothing of his unbelief, and soon they left the palace andstarted upon their journey.