re heaps of
virgin gold, some in its natural state and some already fashioned
into ornaments and furniture of various sorts. Each man worked at a
bench where there was a curious iron furnace in which glowed a
vivid, white light. Although this workshop was all under water and
the workmen were all obliged to breathe as fishes do, the furnaces
glowed so hot that the water touching them was turned into steam.
Gold or other metal held over a furnace quickly softened or melted,
when it could be forged or molded into any shape desired.

"The furnaces are electric," explained Sacho, "and heat as well
under water as they would in the open air. Let me introduce you to
the foreman, who will tell you of his work better than I can."

The foreman was a slave named Agga-Groo, who was lean and lank and
had an expression more surly and unhappy than any slave they had yet
seen. Yet he seemed willing to leave his work and explain to the
visitors how he made so many beautiful things out of gold, for he
took much pride in this labor and knew its artistic worth. Moreover,
since he had been in Zog's castle these were the first strangers to
enter his workshop, so he welcomed them in his own gruff way.

The queen asked him if he was happy, and he shook his head and
replied, "It isn't like Calcutta, where I used to work in gold
before I was wrecked at sea and nearly drowned. Zog rescued me and
brought me here a slave. It is a stupid life we lead, doing the same
things over and over every day, but perhaps it is better than being
dead. I'm not sure. The only pleasure I get in life is in creating
pretty things out of gold."

"Could you forge me a golden sword?" asked the Queen, smiling
sweetly upon the goldsmith.

"I could, madam, but I won't unless Zog orders me to do it."

"Do you like Zog better than you do me?" inquired Aquareine.

"No," was the answer. "I hate Zog."

"Then won't you make the sword to please me and to show your skill?"
pleaded the pretty mermaid.

"I'm afraid of my master. He might not like it," the man replied.

"But he will never know," said Princess Clia.

"You cannot say what Zog knows or what he doesn't know," growled the
man. "I can't take chances of offending Zog, for I must live with
him always as a slave." With this he turned away and resumed his
work, hammering the leaf of a golden ship.

Cap'n Bill had listened carefully to this conversation, and being a
wise old sailor in his way, he thought he unders