been reading says they do,--that is, sea-nymphs do. Ain't
sea-nymphs and mermaids the same thing?"

"Wal', I guess they be, pretty much," said the Captain, rubbing down his
pantaloons; "yes, they be," he added, after reflection.

"And when people are drowned, how long does it take for their bones to
turn into coral, and their eyes into pearl?" said little Mara.

"Well, that depends upon circumstances," said the Captain, who wasn't
going to be posed; "but let me jist see your book you've been reading
these things out of."

"I found it in a barrel up garret, and grandma gave it to me," said
Mara, unrolling her handkerchief; "it's a beautiful book,--it tells
about an island, and there was an old enchanter lived on it, and he had
one daughter, and there was a spirit they called Ariel, whom a wicked
old witch fastened in a split of a pine-tree, till the enchanter got him
out. He was a beautiful spirit, and rode in the curled clouds and hung
in flowers,--because he could make himself big or little, you see."

"Ah, yes, I see, to be sure," said the Captain, nodding his head.

"Well, that about sea-nymphs ringing his knell is here," Mara added,
beginning to read the passage with wide, dilated eyes and great
emphasis. "You see," she went on speaking very fast, "this enchanter had
been a prince, and a wicked brother had contrived to send him to sea
with his poor little daughter, in a ship so leaky that the very rats had
left it."

"Bad business that!" said the Captain, attentively.

"Well," said Mara, "they got cast ashore on this desolate island, where
they lived together. But once, when a ship was going by on the sea that
had his wicked brother and his son--a real good, handsome young
prince--in it, why then he made a storm by magic arts."

"Jist so," said the Captain; "that's been often done, to my sartin
knowledge."

"And he made the ship be wrecked, and all the people thrown ashore, but
there wasn't any of 'em drowned, and this handsome prince heard Ariel
singing this song about his father, and it made him think he was dead."

"Well, what became of 'em?" interposed Sally, who had come up with her
pan of clams in time to hear this story, to which she had listened with
breathless interest.

"Oh, the beautiful young prince married the beautiful young lady," said
Mara.

"Wal'," said the Captain, who by this time had found his soundings;
"that you've been a-tellin' is what they call a play, and I've seen 'em
act