_Chap. 11._
ZOG THE TERRIBLE AND HIS SEA DEVILS]
"The sun must be going under a cloud," said Trot, looking ahead.
They had descended far into the ocean depths again--further, the girlthought, than they had ever been before.
"No," the Queen answered, after a glance ahead of them; "that is acuttlefish, and he is dyeing the sea around him with ink, so that hecan hide from us. Let us turn a little to the left, for we could seenothing at all in that inky water."
Following her advice they made a broad curve to the left, and at oncethe water began to darken in that direction, too.
"Why, there's another of 'em," said Cap'n Bill, as the little partycame to a sudden halt.
"So there is," returned the Queen, and Trot thought there was a littlequiver of anxiety in her voice. "We must go far to the right to escapethe ink."
So they again started, this time almost at a right angle to theirformer course, and the little girl inquired:
"How can the cuttlefish color the water so very black?"
"They carry big sacks in front of them, where they conceal the ink,"Princess Clia answered. "Whenever they choose, the cuttlefish are ableto press out this ink, and it colors the water for a great space aroundthem."
The direction in which they were now swimming was taking them far outof their way. Aquareine did not wish to travel very far to the right,so, when she thought they had gone far enough to escape the inky water,she turned to lead her party toward the left--the direction in whichshe did wish to go. At once, another cloud of ink stained the water,and drove them to the right again.
"Is anything wrong, ma'am?" asked Cap'n Bill, seeing a frown gatherupon the queen's lovely face.
"I hope not," she said. "But I must warn you that these cuttlefish arethe servants of the terrible sea devils, and from the way they areacting they seem determined to drive us toward the Devil Caves, which Iwished to avoid."
This admission on the part of their powerful protector, the fairymermaid, sent a chill to the hearts of the earth people. Neither spokefor a time, but finally Cap'n Bill asked in a timid voice:
"Hadn't we better go back, ma'am?"
"Yes," decided Aquareine, after a moment's thought. "I think it will bewise to retreat. The sea devils are evidently aware of our movementsand wish to annoy us. For my part I have no fear of them, but I do notcare to have you meet such creatures."
But when they turned around to abandon their journey another inky cloudwas to be seen behind them. They really had no choice but to swim inthe only streak of clear water they could find, and the mermaids wellknew this would lead them nearer and nearer to the caves of theirenemies.
But Aquareine led the way, moving very slowly, and the others followedher. In every other direction they were hemmed in by the black waters,and they did not dare to halt, because the inky fluid crept swiftly upbehind them and drove them on.
The queen and the princess had now become silent and grave. They swamon either side of their guests, as if to better protect them.
"Don't look up," whispered Clia, pressing close to the little girl'sside.
"Why not?" asked Trot; and then she did exactly what she had been toldnot to do. She lifted her head and saw stretched over them a network ofscrawny crimson arms, interlaced like the branches of trees in winter,when the leaves have fallen and left them bare.
Cap'n Bill gave a start and muttered "Land sakes!" for he, too, hadgazed upward and seen the crimson network of limbs.
"Are these the sea devils?" asked the child, more curious thanfrightened.
"Yes, dear," replied the Queen. "But I advise you to pay no attentionto them. Remember, they cannot touch us."
In order to avoid the threatening arms overhead, which followed themas they swam, our friends kept near to the bottom of the sea, whichwas here thickly covered with rough and jagged rocks. The inky waterhad now been left far behind, but, when Trot looked over her shoulder,she shuddered to find a great crimson monster following closely afterthem, with a dozen long, snaky feelers stretched out as if to grabanyone that lagged behind. And there, at the side of Princess Clia,was another sea devil, leering silently with his cruel, bulging eyesat the pretty mermaid. Beside the queen swam still another of theirenemies. Indeed, the sea devils had crept upon them and surrounded themeverywhere except at the front, and Trot began to feel nervous andworried for the first time.
Cap'n Bill kept mumbling queer words under his breath, for he had a wayof talking to himself when anything "upsot him," as he would quaintlyremark. Trot always knew he was disturbed or in trouble when he beganto "growl."
The only way now open was straight ahead. They swam slowly, yet fastenough to keep a safe distance from the dreadful creature behind them.
"I'm afraid they are driving us into a trap," whispered the Queen,softly; "but, whatever happens, do not lose courage, earth friends.Clia and I are here to protect you, and our fairy powers are sufficientto keep you from all harm."
"Oh, I don't mind so very much," declared Trot, calmly. "It's like thefairy adventures in storybooks, and I've often thought I'd like thatkind of adventures, 'cause the story always turns out the right way."
Cap'n Bill growled something just then, but the only words Trot couldmake out were, "never lived to tell the tale."
"Oh, pshaw, Cap'n," she said; "we may be in danger, right enough, an'to be honest I don't like the looks of these sea devils at all. But,I'm sure it's no _killing_ matter, for we've got the fairy circles allaround us."
"Ha, ha!" laughed the monster beside her. "_We_ know all about thefairy circles, don't we, Migg?"
"Ho, ho!" laughed the monster on the other side; "we do, Slibb, my boy;and we don't think much of fairy circles, either!"
"They have foiled our enemies many a time," declared the Princess, withmuch dignity.
"Ha, ha!" laughed one; "that's why we're here now."
"Ho, ho!" laughed the other; "we've learned a trick or two, and we'vegot you fast this time."
Then all the sea devils--those above and the one behind, and the twoon the sides--laughed all together, and their laughter was so horriblethat it made even Trot shudder.
But, now the queen stopped short, and the others stopped with her.
"I will go no farther," she said, firmly, not caring if the creaturesoverheard her. "It is evident that these monsters are trying to driveus into some secret place, and it is well-known that they are inleague with Zog the Terrible, whom they serve because they are aswicked as he is. We must be somewhere near the hidden castle of Zog, soI prefer to stay here rather than be driven into some place far moredangerous. As for the sea devils, they are powerless to injure us inany way. Not one of the thousand arms about us can possibly touch ourbodies."
The only reply to this defiant speech was another burst of horriblelaughter; and now there suddenly appeared before them still another ofthe monsters, which thus completely hemmed them in. Then the creaturesbegan interlacing their long arms--or "feelers"--until they formed aperfect cage around the prisoners, not an opening being left that waslarge enough for one of them to escape through.
The mermaids and the girl and sailorman kept huddled close together,for, although they might be walled in by the sea devils, their captorscould not touch them because of the protecting magic circles.
All at once Trot exclaimed: "Why, we must be moving!"
This was startling news, but by watching the flow of the water pastthem they saw that the little girl was right. The sea devils wereswimming, all together, and as the cage they were in moved forward ourfriends were carried with it.
Queen Aquareine had a stern look upon her beautiful face. Cap'n Billguessed from this look that the mermaid was angry, for it seemed muchlike the look Trot's mother wore when they came home late to dinner.But however angry the queen might be, she was unable to help herself orher guests just now, or to escape from the guidance of the dreaded seadevils. The rest of the party had become sober and thoughtful, and indignified silence they awai
ted the outcome of this strange adventure.