of the sea and all in it. The mermaids could not amuse her nor
understand her sorrow; so she went to wise old Barnacle and asked him
what she should do to be a child again.

"No one but the King of the gulls can change you, my Periwinkle," said
the merman, kindly. "You must wait and watch for him patiently. He is
not seen very often; so it may be years before he comes again. Meantime
be happy with us, and don't fret for that very dry land in which we see
no beauty."

This comforted Nelly a good deal, and she spent half her time floating
on the waves, calling the gulls, feeding them, and making them her
friends, so that they might be sure to tell her when the King came.
Other kind things she did, trying to be good; for _she_ knew, though
even the wise old merman did not, that naughty people _cannot_ be happy.
She gathered all the curious shells she could find, and strewed them on
the beach for the children playing there. She popped the cross crabs and
lobsters into the nets let down for them, and helped the fishermen to
many a good load for market. She sat and sang among the rocks where
lonely people could hear the faint sweet music and enjoy it. She watched
over the little people when they went bathing, and loved to catch and
kiss the rosy babies as they splashed about, and send quiet ripples to
refresh the sick ones when their nurses dipped them in the wholesome
sea.

She was good to all the wounded fishes who got hurt by the many enemies
that haunt the great ocean, and tried to teach the cruel sharks, the
ugly octopus, and the lazy snails to be kinder and more industrious.
They did not mind her; but it kept her busy, and made her heart tender
to try to help all who came near her, and every night when she went to
her lonely bed she said hopefully,--

"Perhaps to-morrow the King will come and let me go home. When I do,
mamma must find a better Nelly than the naughty, wilful one who ran
away."

She supposed her mother would think her drowned when the clothes were
found on the rock, and often mourned over the sorrow she had given those
at home. But she cheered herself with imagining the joy her wonderful
return would bring, and could hardly wait for that happy time.

The mermaids were soon going far away to the South Sea for the winter,
and begged her to come with them, telling how lovely everything was
there,--all about the pearl-divers, the Spice Islands, the coral trees,
and the many wonders of that summer world