o one of the avenues which led from the sea garden
out into the broad ocean, and here two swordfishes were standing
guard. "Is all quiet?" Merla asked them.

"Just as usual, your Highness," replied one of the guards.
"Mummercubble was sick this morning and grunted dreadfully, but he's
better now and has gone to sleep. King Anko has been stirring around
some, but is now taking his after-dinner nap. I think it will be
perfectly safe for you to swim out for a while, if you wish."

"Who's Mummercubble?" asked Trot as they passed out into deep water.

"He's the sea pig," replied Merla. "I am glad he's asleep, for now
we won't meet him."

"Don't you like him?" inquired Trot.

"Oh, he complains so bitterly of everything that he bores us," Merla
answered. "Mummercubble is never contented or happy for a single
minute."

"I've seen people like that," said Cap'n Bill with a nod of his
head. "An' they has a way of upsettin' the happiest folks they
meet."

"Look out!" suddenly cried the mermaid. "Look out for your fingers!
Here are the snapping eels."

"Who? Where?" asked Trot anxiously.

And now they were in the midst of a cluster of wriggling, darting
eels which sported all around them in the water with marvelous
activity. "Yes, look out for your fingers and your noses!" said one
of the eels, making a dash for Cap'n Bill. At first the sailor was
tempted to put out a hand and push the creature away, but
remembering that his fingers would thus be exposed, he remained
quiet, and the eel snapped harmlessly just before his face and then
darted away.

"Stop it!" said Merla. "Stop it this minute, or I'll report your
impudence to Aquareine."

"Oh, who cares?" shouted the Eels. "We're not afraid of the
mermaids."

"She'll stiffen you up again, as she did once before," said Merla,
"if you try to hurt the earth people."

"Are these earth people?" asked one. And then they all stopped their
play and regarded Trot and Cap'n Bill with their little black eyes.

"The old polliwog looks something like King Anko," said one of them.

"I'm not a polliwog!" answered Cap'n Bill angrily. "I'm a respec'ble
sailor man, an' I'll have you treat me decent or I'll know why."

"Sailor!" said another. "That means to float on the water--not IN
it. What are you doing down here?"

"I'm jes' a-visitin'," answered Cap'n Bill.

"He is the guest of our queen," said Merla, "and so is this little
girl. If you do not behave nicely to them, you wil