"What did you see?" asked the little rabbit, and he pushed forward
Uncle Lucky's old wedding stovepipe hat to keep it from falling over
his left ear.

"A mermaid!" cried the old gentleman rabbit, and before he could turn
the spyglass the other way a lovely mermaid swam up and handed him her
card, and on it was written in lovely purple ink:

Miss Coral Seafoam,
Oceanville,
U. S. A.

"Pleased to meet you," cried the old gentleman rabbit most politely.
"This is my nephew, William Bunny, Brier Patch, Old Snake Fence
Corner, and my name is Mr. Lucky Lefthindfoot and I live in
Lettuceville, corner of Carrot and Lettuce streets," and then he tried
to take off his hat, but he couldn't, for it was tied down tight, you
remember, with his blue polka-dot handkerchief.

And after that the mermaid asked them to visit her coral island, where
she and her sisters sold coral beads and scarfpins. And in the next
story you shall hear--well, I guess I won't tell you now, but let you
wait and see.




STORY XXVI.