_Chap 2._
THE MERMAIDS]
The next morning, as soon as Trot had helped wipe the breakfast dishesand put them away in the cupboard, the little girl and Cap'n Billstarted out toward the bluff.
The air was soft and warm, and the sun turned the edges of the wavesinto sparkling diamonds. Across the bay the last of the fisherboats wasspeeding away out to sea, for well the fishermen knew this was an idealday to catch rockbass, barracuda and yellowtail.
The old man and the young girl stood on the bluff and watched all thiswith interest. Here was their world.
"It isn't a bit rough this morning. Let's have a boat ride, Cap'nBill," said the child.
"Suits me to a T," declared the sailor.
So they found the winding path that led down the face of the cliff tothe narrow beach below, and cautiously began the descent. Trot neverminded the steep path or the loose rocks at all; but Cap'n Bill'swooden leg was not so useful on a down grade as on a level, and he hadto be careful not to slip and take a tumble.
But by and by they reached the sands and walked to a spot just beneaththe big acacia tree that grew on the bluff. Halfway to the top of thecliff hung suspended a little shed like structure that sheltered Trot'srowboat, for it was necessary to pull the boat out of reach of thewaves which beat in fury against the rocks at high tide. About as highup as Cap'n Bill could reach was an iron ring, securely fastened tothe cliff, and to this ring was tied a rope. The old sailor unfastenedthe knot and began paying out the rope, and the rowboat came out ofits shed and glided slowly downward to the beach. It hung on a pair ofdavits, and was lowered just as a boat is lowered from a ship's side.When it reached the sands the sailor unhooked the ropes and pushedthe boat to the water's edge. It was a pretty little craft, light andstrong, and Cap'n Bill knew how to sail it or row it, as Trot mightdesire.
To-day they decided to row, so the girl climbed into the bow and hercompanion stuck his wooden leg into the water's edge, "so he wouldn'tget his foot wet," and pushed off the little boat as he climbed aboard.Then he seized the oars and began gently paddling.
"Whither away, Commodore Trot?" he asked gaily.
"I don't care, Cap'n. It's just fun enough to be on the water," sheanswered, trailing one hand overboard.
So he rowed around by the North Promontory, where the great caves were,and much as they were enjoying the ride they soon began to feel theheat of the sun.
"That's Dead Man's Cave, 'cause a skellington was found there,"observed the child, as they passed a dark yawning mouth in the cliff."And that's Bumble Cave, 'cause the bumblebees make nests in the topof it. And here's Smuggler's Cave, 'cause the smugglers used to hidethings in it."
She knew all the caves well, and so did Cap'n Bill. Many of them openedjust at the water's edge and it was possible to row their boat far intotheir dusky depths.
"And here's Echo Cave," she continued, dreamily, as they slowly movedalong the coast; "and Giant's Cave, and--oh, Cap'n Bill! do you s'posethere were ever any giants in that cave?"
"'Pears like there must 'a' been, Trot, or they wouldn't 'a' named itthat name," he replied, pausing to wipe his bald head with the redhandkerchief, while the oars dragged in the water.
"We've never been into that cave, Cap'n," she remarked, looking at thesmall hole in the cliff--an archway through which the water flowed."Let's go in now."
"What for, Trot?"
"To see if there's a giant there."
"H-m. Aren't you 'fraid?"
"No; are you? I just don't b'lieve it's big enough for a giant to getinto."
"Your father was in there once," remarked Cap'n Bill, "an' he says it'sthe biggest cave on the coast, but low down. It's full o' water, an'the water's deep down to the very bottom o' the ocean; but the rockroof's liable to bump your head at high tide."
"It's low tide now," returned Trot. "And how could any giant live inthere if the roof is so low down?"
"Why, he couldn't, mate. I reckon they must have called it Giant's Cave'cause it's so big, an' not 'cause any giant man lived there."
"Let's go in," said the girl, again; "I'd like to 'splore it."
"All right," replied the sailor. "It'll be cooler in there than outhere in the sun. We won't go very far, for when the tide turns wemightn't get out again."
He picked up the oars and rowed slowly toward the cave. The blackarchway that marked its entrance seemed hardly big enough to admit theboat, at first; but as they drew nearer the opening became bigger. Thesea was very calm here, for the headland shielded it from the breeze.
"Look out fer your head, Trot!" cautioned Cap'n Bill, as the boatglided slowly into the rocky arch.
But it was the sailor who had to duck, instead of the little girl. Onlyfor a moment, though. Just beyond the opening the cave was higher, andas the boat floated into the dim interior they found themselves onquite an extensive branch of the sea.
For a time neither of them spoke and only the soft lapping of the wateragainst the sides of the boat was heard. A beautiful sight met the eyesof the two adventurers and held them dumb with wonder and delight.
It was not dark in this vast cave, yet the light seemed to come fromunderneath the water, which all around them glowed with an exquisitesapphire color. Where the little waves crept up to the sides of therocks they shone like brilliant jewels, and every drop of spray seemeda gem fit to deck a queen.
Trot leaned her chin on her hands and her elbows on her lap and gazedat this charming sight with real enjoyment. Cap'n Bill drew in theoars and let the boat drift where it would, while he also sat silentlyadmiring the scene.
Slowly the little craft crept farther and farther into the dim interiorof the vast cavern, while its two passengers feasted their eyes on thebeauties constantly revealed. Both the old seaman and the little girlloved the ocean in all its various moods. To them it was a constantcompanion and a genial comrade. If it stormed and raved they laughedwith glee; if it rolled great breakers against the shore they clappedtheir hands joyfully; if it lay slumbering at their feet they pettedand caressed it; but always they loved it.
Here was the ocean yet. It had crept under the dome of overhanging rockto reveal itself crowned with sapphires and dressed in azure gown,revealing in this guise new and unsuspected charms.
"Good morning, Mayre," said a sweet voice.
Trot gave a start and looked around her in wonder. Just beside herin the water were little eddies--circles within circles--such as arecaused when anything sinks below the surface.
"Did--did you hear that, Cap'n Bill?" she whispered, solemnly.
Cap'n Bill did not answer. He was staring, with eyes that fairly bulgedout, at a place behind Trot's back, and he shook a little, as iftrembling from cold.
Trot turned half around--and then she stared, too.
Rising from the blue water was a fair face around which floated a massof long, blonde hair. It was a sweet, girlish face, with eyes of thesame deep blue as the water and red lips whose dainty smile disclosedtwo rows of pearly teeth. The cheeks were plump and rosy, the browsgracefully penciled, while the chin was rounded and had a pretty dimplein it.
"The--the--most beauti-ful-est--in all the world!" murmured Cap'n Bill,in a voice of horror; "an' no one has ever lived to--to tell the tale!"
There was a peal of merry laughter, at this; laughter that rippledand echoed throughout the cavern. Just at Trot's side appeared a newface--even fairer than the other--with a wealth of brown hair wreathingthe lovely features. And the eyes smiled kindly into those of the child.
"Are you--a--a--mermaid?" asked Trot, curiously. She was not a bitafraid. They seemed both gentle and friendly.
"Yes, dear," was the soft answer.
"We are all mermaids!" chimed a laughing chorus, and here and there,all about the boat, appeared pretty faces lying just upon the surfaceof the water.
"Are you part fishes?" asked Trot, greatly pleased by this wonderfulsight.
"No, we are all mermaid," replied the one with the brown hair. "Thefishes are pa
rtly like us, because they live in the sea and must moveabout. And you are partly like us, Mayre dear, but have awkward stifflegs so you may walk on the land. But the mermaids lived before fishesand before mankind, so both have borrowed something from us."
"Then you must be fairies, if you've lived always," remarked Trot,nodding wisely.
"We are, dear; we are the water fairies," answered the one with theblonde hair, coming nearer and rising till her slender white throatshowed plainly.
"We--we're--goners, Trot!" sighed Cap'n Bill, with a white, woebegoneface.
"I guess not, Cap'n," she answered calmly. "These pretty mermaidsaren't going to hurt us, I'm sure."
"No, indeed," said the first one who had spoken. "If we were wickedenough to wish to harm you our magic could reach you as easily uponthe land as in this cave. But we love little girls dearly, and wishonly to please them and make their lives more happy."
"I believe that!" cried Trot, earnestly.
Cap'n Bill groaned.
"Guess why we have appeared to you," said another mermaid, coming tothe side of the boat.
"Why?" asked the child.
"We heard you say yesterday you would like to see a mermaid, and so wedecided to grant your wish."
"That was real nice of you," said Trot, gratefully.
"Also we heard all the foolish things Cap'n Bill said about us,"remarked the brown haired one, smilingly; "and we wanted to prove tohim they were wrong."
"I on'y said what I've heard," protested Cap'n Bill. "Never havin' seena mermaid afore, I couldn't be ackerate; an' I never expected to seeone an' live to tell the tale."
Again the cave rang with merry laughter, and as it died away Trot said:
"May I see your scales, please? And are they green and purple and pink,like Cap'n Bill said?"
They seemed undecided what to say to this, and swam a little way off,where the beautiful heads formed a group that was delightful to see.Perhaps they talked together, for the brown haired mermaid soon cameback to the side of the boat and asked:
"We--We're--Goners"]
"Would you like to visit our kingdom, and see all the wonders thatexist below the sea?"
"I'd like to," replied Trot, promptly; "but I couldn't. I'd getdrowned."
"That you would, mate!" cried Cap'n Bill.
"Oh, no," said the mermaid. "We would make you both like one ofourselves, and then you could live within the water as easily as we do."
"I don't know as I'd like it," said the child; "at least, for always."
"You need not stay with us a moment longer than you please," returnedthe mermaid, smiling as if amused at the remark. "Whenever you areready to return home we promise to bring you to this place again andrestore to you the same forms you are now wearing."
"Would I have a fish's tail?" asked Trot, earnestly.
"You would have a mermaid's tail," was the reply.
"What color would my scales be--pink, or purple?"
"You may choose the color yourself."
"Look a' here, Trot!" said Cap'n Bill, in excitement, "you ain'tthinkin' o' doin' such a fool thing, are you?"
"'Course I am," declared the little girl. "We don't get suchinv'tations every day, Cap'n; and if I don't go now I may never findout how the mermaids live."
"I don't care how they live, myself," said Cap'n Bill. "I jes' want 'emto let _me_ live."
"There's no danger," insisted Trot.
"I do' know 'bout that. That's what all the other folks said when theydove after the mermaids an' got drownded."
"Who?" asked the girl.
"I don't know who; but I've heard tell--"
"You've heard that no one ever saw a mermaid and lived," said Trot.
"To tell the tale," he added, nodding. "An' if we dives down, like theysays, we won't live ourselves."
All the mermaids laughed at this, and the brown haired one said:
"Well, if you are afraid, don't come. You may row your boat out of thiscave and never see us again, if you like. We merely thought it wouldplease little Mayre, and were willing to show her the sights of ourbeautiful home."
"I'd like to see 'em, all right," said Trot, her eyes glistening withpleasure.
"So would I," admitted Cap'n Bill; "if we would live to tell the tale."
"Don't you believe us?" asked the mermaid, fixing her lovely eyes onthose of the old sailor and smiling prettily. "Are you afraid to trustus to bring you safely back?"
"N--n--n-o," said Cap'n Bill; "'tain't that. I've got to look afterTrot."
"Then you'll have to come with me," said Trot, decidedly, "for I'mgoing to 'cept this inv'tation. If you don't care to come, Cap'n Bill,you go home and tell mother I'm visitin' the mermaids."
"She'd scold me inter shivers!" moaned Cap'n Bill, with a shudder. "Iguess I'd ruther take my chances down below."
"All right; I'm ready, Miss Mermaid," said Trot. "What shall I do? Jumpin, clothes an' all?"
"Give me your hand, dear," answered the mermaid, lifting a lovely whitearm from the water. Trot took the slender hand and found it warm andsoft, and not a bit "fishy."
"My name is Clia," continued the mermaid, "and I am a princess in ourdeep-sea kingdom."
Just then Trot gave a flop and flopped right out of the boat into thewater. Cap'n Bill caught a gleam of pink scales as his little friendwent overboard, and the next moment there was Trot's face in the water,among those of the mermaids. She was laughing with glee as she lookedup into Cap'n Bill's face and called:
"Come on in, Cap'n! It didn't hurt a bit!"