me men spend
their lives diving for amber on the shores of our own country.

"They wear rubber suits and helmets and air-chests of sheet iron."

"How can they see where they are going?" asked Bertha.

"There are glass openings in their helmets, and they can look through
these. They go out in boats. The crew generally consists of six
men. Two of them are divers, and four men have charge of the
air-pumps. These pumps force fresh air down through tubes fastened
to the helmet of each diver. Besides these men there is an overseer
who has charge of everything.

"Sometimes the divers stay for hours on the bed of the sea, and work
away at the amber tangles."

"But suppose anything happens to the air-tubes and the men fail to
get as much air as they need?" said Hans. "Is there any way of
letting those in the boat know they are in trouble? And, besides
that, how do the others know when it is time to raise the divers with
their precious loads?"

"There is a safety-rope reaching from the boat to the men. When they
pull this rope it is a sign that they wish to be drawn up. But I
have told you as much about amber now as you will be able to
remember."

"Are you very tired, father dear?" said Bertha, in her most coaxing
tone.

"Why should I be tired? What do you wish to ask me? Come, speak out
plainly, little one."

"You tell such lovely fairy-tales, papa, I was just wishing for one.
See! The moon is just rising above the tree-tops. It is the very
time for stories of the wonderful beings."

Her father smiled. "It shall be as you wish, Bertha. It is hard to
refuse you when you look at me that way. Come, children, let us sit
in the doorway. Goodwife, put down your work and join us while I
tell the story of Siegfried, the old hero of Germany."

CHAPTER IX.

THE MAGIC SWORD

Far away in the long ago there lived a mighty king with his goodwife
and his brave son, Siegfried. Their home was at Xanten, where the
river Rhine flows lazily along.

The young prince was carefully taught. But when his education was
nearly finished, his father said:

"Siegfried, there is a mighty smith named Mimer. It will be well for
you to learn all you can of him in regard to the making of arms."

So Siegfried went to work at the trade of a smith. It was not long
before he excelled his teacher. This pleased Mimer, who spent many
spare hours with his pupil, telling him stories of the olden times.

After awhile, he