as well they are thoughtless and foolish."

Presently they came to some round balls that looked much like
balloons in shape and were gaily colored. They floated quietly in
the water, and Trot inquired what they were.

"Balloonfish," answered Merla. "They are helpless creatures, but
have little spikes all over them so their enemies dare not bite them
for fear of getting pricked."

Trot found the balloonfish quite interesting. They had little dots
of eyes and dots for mouths, but she could see no noses, and their
fins and tails were very small.

"They catch these fish in the South Sea Islands and make lanterns of
'em," said Cap'n Bill. "They first skin 'em and sew the skin up
again to let it dry, and then they put candles inside, and the light
shines through the dried skin."

Many other curious sights they saw in the ocean that afternoon, and
both Cap'n Bill and Trot thoroughly enjoyed their glimpse of sea
life. At last Merla said it was time to return to the palace, from
which she claimed they had not at any time been very far distant.
"We must prepare for dinner, as it will soon begin to grow dark in
the water," continued their conductor. So they swam leisurely back
to the groves that surrounded the palaces, and as they entered the
gardens the sun sank, and deep shadows began to form in the ocean
depths.