we're here now."

"Ho ho!" laughed the other. "We've learned a trick or two, and we've
got you fast this time."

Then all the sea devils--those above and the one behind, and the two
on the sides--laughed all together, and their laughter was so
horrible that it made even Trot shudder.

But now the queen stopped short, and the others stopped with her.

"I will go no farther," she said firmly, not caring if the monsters
overheard her. "It is evident that these monsters are trying to
drive us into some secret place, and it is well known that they are
in league with Zog the Terrible, whom they serve because they are as
wicked as he is. We must be somewhere near the hidden castle of Zog,
so I prefer to stay here rather than be driven into some place far
more dangerous. As for the sea devils, they are powerless to injure
us in any way. Not one of those thousand arms about us can possibly
touch our bodies."

The only reply to this defiant speech was another burst of horrible
laughter; and now there suddenly appeared before them still another
of the monsters, which thus completely hemmed them in. Then the
creatures began interlacing their long arms--or "feelers"--until
they formed a perfect cage around the prisoners, not an opening
being left that was large enough for one of them to escape through.

The mermaids and the girl and sailor man kept huddled close
together, for although they might be walled in by the sea devils,
their captors could not touch them because of the protecting magic
circles.

All at once Trot exclaimed, "Why, we must be moving!"

This was startling news, but by watching the flow of water past them
they saw that the little girl was right. The sea devils were
swimming, all together, and as the cage they were in moved forward,
our friends were carried with it.

Queen Aquareine had a stern look upon her beautiful face. Cap'n Bill
guessed from this look that the mermaid was angry, for it seemed
much like the look Trot's mother wore when they came home late to
dinner. But however angry the queen might be, she was unable to help
herself or her guests just now or to escape from the guidance of the
dreaded sea devils. The rest of the party had become sober and
thoughtful, and in dignified silence they awaited the outcome of
this strange adventure.

CHAPTER 12

THE ENCHANTED ISLAND

All at once it grew dark around them. Neither Cap'n Bill nor Trot
liked this gloom, for it made them nervous n