mermaids."

"She'll stiffen you up again, as she did once before," said Merla,
"if you try to hurt the earth people."

"Are these earth people?" asked one. And then they all stopped their
play and regarded Trot and Cap'n Bill with their little black eyes.

"The old polliwog looks something like King Anko," said one of them.

"I'm not a polliwog!" answered Cap'n Bill angrily. "I'm a respec'ble
sailor man, an' I'll have you treat me decent or I'll know why."

"Sailor!" said another. "That means to float on the water--not IN
it. What are you doing down here?"

"I'm jes' a-visitin'," answered Cap'n Bill.

"He is the guest of our queen," said Merla, "and so is this little
girl. If you do not behave nicely to them, you will surely be
sorry."

"Oh, that's all right," replied one of the biggest eels, wriggling
around in a circle and then snapping at a companion, which as
quickly snapped out of his way. "We know how to be polite to company
as well as the mermaids. We won't hurt them."

"Come on, fellows, let's go scare old Mummercubble," cried another;
and then in a flash they all darted away and left our friends to
themselves. Trot was greatly relieved.