es, and the
silver course of its rivers, and its snowy mountain peaks, and the
breath of its fields, and the dark cluster of its woods, and its
cities of white marble; and with the moonshine sleeping over the whole
scene, it was as beautiful as the moon or any star could be. And among
other objects he saw the island of Seriphus, where his dear mother
was. Sometimes he and Quicksilver approached a cloud that at a
distance looked as if it were made of fleecy silver, although when
they plunged into it they found themselves chilled and moistened with
gray mist. So swift was their flight, however, that in an instant they
emerged from the cloud into the moonlight again. Once a high-soaring
eagle flew right against the invisible Perseus. The bravest sights
were the meteors that gleamed suddenly out as if a bonfire had been
kindled in the sky and made the moonshine pale for as much as a
hundred miles around them.

As the two companions flew onward, Perseus fancied that he could hear
the rustle of a garment close by his side; and it was on the side
opposite to the one where he beheld Quicksilver, yet only Quicksilver
was visible.

"Whose garment is this," inquired Perseus, "that keeps rustling close
beside me in the breeze?"

"Oh, it is my sister's!" answered Quicksilver. "She is coming along
with us, as I told you she would. We could do nothing without the help
of my sister. You have no idea how wise she is. She has such eyes,
too! Why, she can see you at this moment just as distinctly as if you
were not invisible, and I'll venture to say she will be the first to
discover the Gorgons."

By this time, in their swift voyage through the air, they had come
within sight of the great ocean and were soon flying over it. Far
beneath them the waves tossed themselves tumultuously in mid-sea, or
rolled a white surf line upon the long beaches, or foamed against the
rocky cliffs, with a roar that was thunderous in the lower world,
although it became a gentle murmur, like the voice of a baby half
asleep, before it reached the ears of Perseus. Just then a voice spoke
in the air close by him. It seemed to be a woman's voice and was
melodious, though not exactly what might be called sweet, but grave
and mild.

"Perseus," said the voice, "there are the Gorgons."

"Where?" exclaimed Perseus. "I cannot see them."

"On the shore of that island beneath you," replied the voice. "A
pebble dropped from your hand would strike in the midst of t