e creatures," said the Princess.
"The mid-water is not as safe as the very bottom, and that is the
reason we are holding your hands."

"What good would that do?" asked Trot.

"You must remember that we are fairies," said Princess Clia. "For
that reason, nothing in the ocean can injure us, but you two are
mortals and therefore not entirely safe at all times unless we
protect you."

Trot was thoughtful for a few moments and looked around her a little
anxiously. Now and then a dark form would shoot across their pathway
or pass them at some distance, but none was near enough for the girl
to see plainly what it might be. Suddenly they swam right into a big
school of fishes, all yellowtails and of very large size. There must
have been hundreds of them lying lazily in the water, and when they
saw the mermaids they merely wriggled to one side and opened a path
for the sea fairies to pass through. "Will they hurt us?" asked
Trot.

"No indeed," laughed the Princess. "Fishes are stupid creatures
mostly, and this family is quite harmless."

"How about sharks?" asked Cap'n Bill, who was swimming gracefully
beside them, his hand clutched in that of pretty Merla.

"Sharks may indeed be dangerous to you," replied Clia, "so I advise
you to keep them at a safe distance. They never dare attempt to bite
a mermaid, and it may be they will think you belong to our band; but
it is well to avoid them if possible."

"Don't get careless, Cap'n," added Trot.

"I surely won't, mate," he replied. "You see, I didn't use to be
'fraid o' sharks 'cause if they came near I'd stick my wooden leg at
'em. But now, if they happens to fancy these green scales, it's all
up with ol' Bill."

"Never fear," said Merla, "I'll take care of you on our journey, and
in our palaces you will find no sharks at all."

"Can't they get in?" he asked anxiously.

"No. The palaces of the mermaids are inhabited only by themselves."

"Is there anything else to be afraid of in the sea?" asked the
little girl after they had swum quite a while in silence.

"One or two things, my dear," answered Princess Clia. "Of course, we
mermaids have great powers, being fairies; yet among the sea people
is one nearly as powerful as we are, and that is the devilfish."

"I know," said Trot. "I've seen 'em."

"You have seen the smaller ones, I suppose, which sometimes rise to
the surface or go near the shore, and are often caught by
fishermen," said Clia, "but they are only seco