ever get back again to the white cottage on the cliff. Here she was,
at the bottom of the great ocean, swimming through a big tunnel that
had an enchanted castle at the end, and a group of horrible sea
devils at the other! In spite of this thought, she was not very much
afraid. Although two fairy mermaids were her companions, she relied,
strange to say, more upon her tried and true friend, Cap'n Bill,
than upon her newer acquaintances to see her safely out of her
present trouble.

Cap'n Bill himself did not feel very confident.

"I don't care two cents what becomes o' me," he told Princess Clia
in a low voice, "but I'm drea'ful worried over our Trot. She's too
sweet an' young to be made an end of in this 'ere fashion."

Clia smiled at this speech. "I'm sure you will find the little
girl's end a good way off," she replied. "Trust to our powerful
queen, and be sure she will find some means for us all to escape
uninjured."

The light grew brighter as they advanced, until finally they
perceived a magnificent archway just ahead of them. Aquareine
hesitated a moment whether to go on or turn back, but there was no
escaping the sea devils behind them, and she decided the best way
out of their difficulties was to bravely face the unknown Zog and
rely upon her fairy powers to prevent his doing any mischief to
herself or her friends. So she led the way, and together they
approached the archway and passed through it.

They now found themselves in a vast cavern, so great in extent that