_Chap. 15._
_The_ MAGIC _of the_ MERMAIDS]
When Trot and Cap'n Bill entered the Rose Chamber they found the twomermaids reclining before an air fountain that was sending thousands oftiny bubbles up through the water.
"These fountains of air are excellent things," remarked QueenAquareine, "for they keep the water fresh and sweet, and that isthe more necessary where it is confined by walls, as it is in thiscastle. But, now let us counsel together, and decide what to do in theemergency that confronts us."
"How can we tell what to do, without knowing what's going to happen?"asked Trot.
"Something's sure to happen," said Cap'n Bill.
As if to prove his words a gong suddenly sounded at their door, and inwalked a fat little man clothed all in white, including a white apronand white cap. His face was round and jolly, and he had a big mustachethat curled up at the ends.
"Well, well!" said the little man, spreading out his legs and puttinghis hands on his hips as he stood looking at them; "of all the queerthings in the sea, you're the queerest! Mermaids, eh?"
"Don't bunch us that way!" protested Cap'n Bill.
"You are quite wrong," said Trot; "I'm a--a girl."
"With a fish's tail?" he asked, laughing at her.
"That's only just for a while," she said; "while I'm in the water, youknow. When I'm at home on the land I walk just as you do--an' so doesCap'n Bill."
"But we haven't any gills," remarked the Cap'n, looking closely at thelittle man's throat; "so I take it we're not as fishy as some others."
"If you mean me, I must admit you are right," said the little man,twisting his mustaches. "I'm as near a fish as a man can be. But yousee, Cap'n, without the gills that make me a fish I could not liveunder water."
"When it comes to that, you've no business to live under water,"asserted the sailor. "But I s'pose you're a slave and can't help it."
"I'm chief cook for that old horror, Zog. And that reminds me, goodmermaids--or good people, or good girls and sailors, or whatever youare--that I'm sent here to ask what you'd like to eat."
"Glad to see you, sir," said Cap'n Bill. "I'm nearly starved, myself."
"I had it in mind," said the little man, "to prepare a regular mermaiddinner; but since you're not mermaids--"
"Oh, two of us are," said the Queen, smiling. "I, my good cook, amAquareine, 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. Nowthat you have unfortunately become my master's prisoners it will giveme pleasure to serve you as well as I am able."
"We thank you, good sir," said Aquareine.
"What have you got to eat?" inquired Trot. "Seems to me I'm hollow waydown to my toes--my tail, I mean--and it'll take a lot to fill me up.We haven't eaten a morsel since breakfast, you know."
"I think I shall be able to give you almost anything you would like,"said the cook. "Zog is a wonderful magician, and can procure anythingthat exists with no more effort than a wiggle of his thumb. But someeatables, you know, are hard to serve under water, because they get sodamp that they are soon ruined."
"Ah, it is different with the mermaids," said Princess Clia.
"Yes; all your things are kept dry because they are surrounded by air.I've heard how the mermaids live. But here it is different."
"Take this ring," said the Queen, handing the chief cook a circletwhich she drew from her finger. "While it is in your possession thefood you prepare will not get wet--or even moist."
"I thank your Majesty," returned the cook, taking the ring. "My nameis Tom Atto, and I'll do my best to please you. How would you like forluncheon some oysters on the half shell, clam broth, shrimp salad,broiled turtle steak and watermelon?"
"That will do very nicely," answered the Queen.
"Do watermelons grow in the sea?" asked Trot.
"Of course; that is why they are called watermelons," replied Tom Atto."I think I shall serve you a water ice, in addition to the rest. Waterice is an appropriate sea food."
"Have some water cress with the salad," said Cap'n Bill.
"I'd thought of that," declared the cook. "Doesn't my bill of fare makeyour mouths water?"
"Hurry up and get it ready," suggested Trot.
Tom Atto at once bowed and retired, and when they were alone, Cap'nBill said to the queen:
"Do you think, ma'am, we can manage to escape from Zog and his castle?"
"I hope we shall find a way," replied Aquareine. "The evil powers ofmagic, which Zog controls, may not prove to be as strong as the fairypowers I possess; but of course I cannot be positive until I discoverwhat this wicked magician is able to do."
Princess Clia was looking out of one of the windows.
"I think I can see an opening far up in the top of the dome," she said.
They all hastened to the windows to look, and although Trot and Cap'nBill could see nothing but a solid dome above the castle--perhaps,because it was so far away from them--the sharp eyes of Aquareine werenot to be deceived.
"Yes," she announced, "there is surely an opening in the center of thegreat dome. A little thought must convince us that such an opening isbound to exist, for otherwise the water confined within the dome wouldnot be fresh or clear."
"Then, if we could escape from this castle, we could swim up to thehole in the dome and get free!" exclaimed Trot.
"Why, Zog has probably ordered the opening well guarded, as he has allother outlets," responded the Queen. "Yet it may be worth while forus to make the attempt to get back into the broad ocean this way. Thenight would be the best time, when all are asleep; and surely it willbe quicker to reach the ocean through this hole in the roof, than bymeans of the long, winding passages by which we entered."
"But we will have to break out of the castle, in some way," observedCap'n Bill.
"That will not be difficult," answered Aquareine. "It will be notrouble for me to shatter one of these panes of glass, allowing us topass out and swim straight up to the top of the dome."
"Let's do it now!" said Trot, eagerly.
"No, my dear; we must wait for a good opportunity, when we are notwatched closely. We do not wish the terrible Zog to thwart our plan,"answered the Queen, gently.
Presently, two sailor boys entered, bearing trays of food which theyplaced upon a large table. They were cheery-faced young fellows, withgills at their throats but had laughing eyes, and Trot was astonishednot to find any of the slaves of Zog weeping or miserable. Instead,they were as jolly and good-natured as could be, and seemed to liketheir life under the water. Cap'n Bill asked one of these boys how manyslaves were in the castle, and the youth replied that he would try tocount them and let him know.
Tom Atto had, they found, prepared for them an excellent meal, and theyate heartily because they were really hungry. After luncheon Cap'nBill smoked his pipe contentedly and they renewed their conversation,planning various ways to outwit Zog and make their escape. While thusengaged the gong at the door sounded and Sacho entered.
"My diabolical master commands you to attend him," said the boy.
"When?" asked Aquareine.
"At once, your Majesty."
"Very well; we will follow you," she said.
So they swam down the corridors, following Sacho, until they againreached the golden domed room they had formerly visited.
Here sat Zog, just as they had left him, seemingly; but when hisprisoners entered the magician arose and stood upon his cloven feet,and then silently walked to a curtained archway.
Sacho commanded the prisoners to follow, and beyond the archway theyfound a vast chamber that occupied the center of the castle and wasas big as a ballroom. Zog, who seemed to walk with much difficultybecause his ungainly body swayed back and forth, did not go far beyondthe arched entrance. A golden throne was set near by, and in this themonster seated himself.
At one side of the throne stood a group of slaves.
They were men, womenand children. All had broad gold bands clasped around their ankles, asa badge of servitude, and at each throat were the fish's gills thatenabled them to breathe, and live under water. Yet every face wassmiling and serene, even in the presence of their dread master. Inparts of the big hall were groups of other slaves.
Sacho ranged the prisoners in a circle before Zog's throne, and slowlythe magician turned his eyes, glowing like live coals, upon the four.
"Captives," said he, speaking in his clear, sweet voice, "in our firstinterview you defied me, and both the mermaid queen and the princessdeclared they could not die. But if that is a true statement, as Ihave yet to discover, there are various ways to make you miserable andunhappy, and this I propose to do in order to amuse myself at yourexpense. You have been brought here to undergo the first trial ofstrength between us."
ZOG'S SLAVES WERE AS JOLLY AS COULD BE]
None of the prisoners replied to this speech, so Zog turned to one ofhis slaves and said:
"Rivivi, bring in the Yell-Maker."
Rivivi was a big fellow, brown of skin, and with flashing black eyes.He bowed to his master and left the room by an archway covered withheavy draperies. The next moment these curtains were violently pushedaside and a dreadful sea creature swam into the hall. It had a bodymuch like that of a crab, only more round and of a jet-black color. Itseyes were bright yellow balls set on the ends of two horns that stuckout of its head. They were cruel looking eyes, too, and seemed able tosee every person in the room at the same time.
The legs of the Yell-Maker, however, were the most curious part ofthe creature. There were six of them, slender and black as coal, andeach extended twelve to fifteen feet from its body, when stretched outin a straight line. They were hinged in several places, so they couldbe folded up, or extended at will. At the ends of these thin legswere immense claws shaped like those of a lobster, and they were real"nippers," of a most dangerous sort.
The prisoners knew, as soon as they saw the awful claws, why the thingwas called the "Yell-Maker," and Trot gave a little shiver and creptcloser to Cap'n Bill.
Zog looked with approval upon the creature he had summoned, and said toit:
"I give you four victims--the four people with fish's tails. Let mehear how loud they can yell."
The Yell-Maker uttered a grunt of pleasure and in a flash stretchedout one of its long legs toward the queen's nose, where its powerfulclaws came together with a loud snap. Aquareine did not stir; she onlysmiled. Both Zog and the creature that had attacked her seemed muchsurprised to find she was unhurt.
"Again!" cried Zog; and again the Yell-Maker's claw shot out and triedto pinch the queen's pretty ear. But the magic of the fairy mermaid wasproof against this sea-rascal's strength and swiftness, nor could hetouch any part of Aquareine, although he tried again and again, roaringwith anger like a mad bull.
Trot began to enjoy this performance, and as her merry, childishlaughter rang out the Yell-Maker turned furiously upon the little girl,two of the dreadful claws trying to nip her at the same time. She hadno chance to cry out, or jump backward; yet she remained unharmed. Forthe Fairy Circle of Queen Aquareine kept her safe.
Now Cap'n Bill was attacked, and Princess Clia as well. The half-dozenslender legs darted in every direction, like sword thrusts, to reachtheir victims, and the cruel claws snapped so rapidly that thesound was like the rattling of castanets. But the four prisonersregarded their enemy with smiling composure, and no yell greeted theYell-Maker's efforts.
"Enough!" said Zog, softly and sweetly. "You may retire, my poorYell-Maker, for with these people you are powerless."
The creature paused, and rolled its yellow eyes.
"May I nip just one of the slaves, oh, Zog?" it asked, pleadingly. "Ihate to leave without pleasing your ears with a single yell."
"Let my slaves alone," was Zog's answer. "They are here to serve me,and must not be injured. Go, feeble one!"
"Not so!" cried the Queen. "It is a shame, Zog, that such an evil thingshould exist in our fair sea." With this, she drew her fairy wand froma fold of her gown and waved it toward the creature. At once, theYell-Maker sank down unconscious upon the floor; its legs fell apartin many pieces, the claws tumbling in a heap beside the body. Then allgrew withered and lost shape, becoming a pulpy mass, like gelatine.A few moments later the creature had melted away to nothing at all,forever disappearing from the ocean where it had caused so much horrorand pain.
Zog watched this destruction with surprising patience. When it was allover he nodded his head and smiled, and Trot noticed that whenever Zogsmiled his slaves lost their jolly looks and began to tremble.
"That is very pretty magic, Aquareine," said the monster. "I, myself,learned the trick several thousand years ago, so it does not astonishme. Have you fairies nothing that is new to show me?"
"We desire only to protect ourselves," replied the Queen, with dignity.
"Then I will give you a chance to do so," said Zog.
As he spoke the great marble blocks in the ceiling of the room,directly over the heads of the captives, gave way and came crashingdown upon them. Many tons of weight were in these marble blocks, andthe magician had planned to crush his victims where they stood.
But the four were still unharmed. The marble, being unable to touchthem, was diverted from its course, and when the roar of the greatcrash had died away Zog saw his intended victims standing quietly intheir places, and smiling scornfully at his weak attempts to destroythem.