eel. It was as repulsive as one could well imagine, and no wonder
Zog hated it and kept it covered with his robe. Now, with his horned
head and its glowing eyes thrust forward, wings flapping from his
shoulders and his eely body--ending in a fish's tail--wriggling far
behind him, this strange and evil creature was a thing of terror
even to the sea dwellers, who were accustomed to remarkable sights.

The mermaids, the sailor and the child, one after another looking
back as they swam toward liberty and safety, saw the monster coming
and shuddered with uncontrollable fear. They were drawing nearer to
the dome by this time, yet it was still some distance away. The four
redoubled their speed, darting through the water with the swiftness
of skyrockets. But fast as they swam, Zog swam faster, and the good
queen's heart began to throb as she realized she would be forced to
fight her loathesome foe.

Presently Zog's long body was circling around them like a whirlwind,
lashing the water into foam and gradually drawing nearer and nearer
to his victims. His eyes were no longer glowing coals, they were
balls of flame, and as he circled around them, he laughed aloud that
horrible laugh which was far more terrifying than any cry of rage
could be. The queen struck out with her golden sword, but Zog
wrapped a coil of his thin body around it and, wrestling it from her
hand, crushed the weapon into a shapeless mass. Then Aquareine waved
her fairy wand, but in a flash the monster sent it flying away
through the water.

Cap'n Bill now decided that they were lost. He drew Trot closer to
his side and placed one arm around her. "I can't save you, dear
little mate," he said sadly, "but we've lived a long time together,
an' now we'll die together. I knew, Trot, when first we sawr them
mermaids, as we'd--we'd--"

"Never live to tell the tale," said the child. "But never mind,
Cap'n Bill, we've done the best we could, and we've had a fine
time."

"Forgive me! Oh, forgive me!" cried Aquareine despairingly. "I tried
to save you, my poor friends, but--"

"What's that?" exclaimed the Princess, pointing upward. They all
looked past Zog's whirling body, which was slowly enveloping them in
its folds, toward the round opening in the dome. A dark object had
appeared there, sliding downward like a huge rope and descending
toward them with lightning rapidly. They gave a great gasp as they
recognized the countenance of King Anko, the sea serpent, its