Trot and Cap'n Bill paused, too, for floating in the clear water was
a group of beautiful shapes that the child thought looked like molds
of wine jelly. They were round as a dinner plate, soft and
transparent, but tinted in such lovely hues that no artist's brush
has ever been able to imitate them. Some were deep sapphire blue;
others rose pink; still others a delicate topaz color. They seemed
to have neither heads, eyes nor ears, yet it was easy to see they
were alive and able to float in any direction they wished to go. In
shape they resembled inverted flowerpots, with the upper edges
fluted, and from the centers floated what seemed to be bouquets of
flowers.

"How pretty!" exclaimed Trot, enraptured by the sight.

"Yes, this is a rare variety of jellyfish," replied Merla. "The
creatures are not so delicate as they appear, and live for a long
time--unless they get too near the surface and the waves wash them
ashore."

After watching the jellyfish a few moments, they followed Merla
through the grove, and soon a low chant, like that of an Indian
song, fell upon their ears. It was a chorus of many small voices and
grew louder as they swam on. Presently a big rock rose suddenly
before them from the bottom of the sea, rearing its steep side far
up into the water overhead, and this rock was thickly covered with
tiny shells that clung fast to its surface. The chorus they heard
appeared to come from these shells, and Merla said to her
companions, "These are the singing barnacles. They are really very
amusing, and if you listen carefully, you can hear what they say."