At each side of the entrance lay a fish such as they had never seen
before. It was flat as a doormat and seemed to cling fast to the
coral floor. Upon its back were quills like those of a porcupine,
all pointed and sharp. From the center of the fish arose a head
shaped like a round ball, with a circle of piercing, bead-like eyes
set in it. These strange guardians of the entrance might be able to
tell what their numerous eyes saw, yet they remained silent and
watchful. Even Aquareine gazed upon them curiously, and she gave a
little shudder as she did so.

Inside the entrance was a domed hall with a flight of stairs leading
to an upper balcony. Around the hall were several doorways hung with
curtains made of woven seaweeds. Chairs and benches stood against
the wall, and these astonished the visitors because neither stairs
nor chairs seemed useful in a kingdom where every living thing was
supposed to swim and have a fish's tail. In Queen Aquareine's
palaces benches for reclining were used, and stairs were wholly
unnecessary, but in the Palace of Zog the furniture and fittings
were much like those of a house upon earth, and except that every
space here was filled with water instead of air, Trot and Cap'n Bill
might have imagined themselves in a handsome earthly castle.

The little group paused half fearfully in the hall, yet so far there
was surely nothing to be afraid of. They were wondering what to do
next when the curtains of an archway were pushed aside and a boy
entered. To Trot's astonishment, he had legs and walked upon them
naturally and with perfect ease. He was a delicate, frail-looking
little fellow, dressed in a black velvet suit with knee breeches.
The bows at his throat and knees were of colored seaweeds, woven
into broad ribbons. His hair was yellow and banged across his