l surely be
sorry."

"Oh, that's all right," replied one of the biggest eels, wriggling
around in a circle and then snapping at a companion, which as
quickly snapped out of his way. "We know how to be polite to company
as well as the mermaids. We won't hurt them."

"Come on, fellows, let's go scare old Mummercubble," cried another;
and then in a flash they all darted away and left our friends to
themselves. Trot was greatly relieved.

"I don't like eels," she said.

"They are more mischievous than harmful," replied Merla, "but I do
not care much for them myself."

"No," added Cap'n Bill, "they ain't respec'ful."

CHAPTER 7

THE ARISTOCRATIC CODFISH

The three swam slowly along, quite enjoying the cool depths of the
water. Every little while they met with some strange creature--or
one that seemed strange to the earth people--for although Trot and
Cap'n Bill had seen many kinds of fish, after they had been caught
and pulled from the water, that was very different from meeting them
in their own element, "face to face," as Trot expressed it. Now that
the various fishes were swimming around free and unafraid in their
deep-sea home, they were quite different from the gasping, excited
creatures struggling at the end of a fishline or flopping from a
net.

Before long they came upon a group of large fishes lying lazily near
the bottom of the sea. They were a dark color upon their backs and
silver underneath, but not especially pretty to look at. The fishes
made no effort to get out of Merla's way and remained motionless
except for the gentle motion of their fins and gills.

"Here," said the mermaid, pausing, "is the most aristocratic family
of fish in all the sea."

"What are they?" asked the girl.

"Codfish," was the reply. "Their only fault is that they are too
haughty and foolishly proud of their pedigree."

Overhearing this speech, one codfish said to another in a very
dignified tone of voice, "What insolence!"

"Isn't it?" replied the other. "There ought to be a law to prevent
these common mermaids from discussing their superiors."

"My sakes!" said Trot, astonished. "How stuck up they are, aren't
they?"

For a moment the group of fishes stared at her solemnly. Then one of
the remarked in a disdainful manner, "Come, my dear, let us leave
these vulgar creatures."

"I'm not as vulgar as you are!" exclaimed Trot, much offended by
this speech. "Where I come from, we only eat codfish when there's