The Sea Fairies

"But we must not blunder," added Aquareine, cautiously. "To fail in our attempt would be to acknowledge Zog's superior power, so we must think well upon our plan before we begin to carry it out. What do you advise, sir?" she asked, turning to Cap'n Bill.

"My opinion, ma'am, is that the only way for us to escape is to get out o' here," was the sailor's vague answer. "How to do it is your business, seein' as I ain't no fairy myself, either in looks or in eddication."

The queen smiled, and said to Trot:

"What is your opinion, my dear?"

"I think we might swim out the same way we came in," answered the child. "If we could get Sacho to lead us back through the maze, we would follow that long tunnel to the open ocean, and – "

"And there would be the sea devils waitin' for us," added Cap'n Bill, with a shake of his bald head. "They'd drive us back inter the tunnel, like they did the first time, Trot. It won't do, mate; it won't do."

"Have you a suggestion, Clia?" inquired the Queen.

"I have thought of an undertaking," replied the pretty princess; "but it is a bold plan, your Majesty, and you may not care to risk it."

"Let us hear it, anyway," said Aquareine, encouragingly.

"It is to destroy Zog himself, and put him out of the world forever. Then we would be free to go home, whenever we pleased."

"Can you suggest a way to destroy Zog?" asked Aquareine.

"No, your Majesty," Clia answered. "I must leave the way for you to determine."

"In the old days," said the Queen, thoughtfully, "the mighty King Anko could not destroy this monster. He succeeded in defeating Zog, and drove him into this great cavern; but even Anko could not destroy him."

"I have heard the sea serpent explain that it was because he could not reach the magician," returned Clia. "If King Anko could have seized Zog in his coils he would have made an end of the wicked monster quickly. Zog knows this, and that is why he does not dare to venture forth from his retreat. Anko is the enemy he constantly dreads. But with you, my queen, the case is different. You may easily reach Zog, and the only question is whether your power is sufficient to destroy him."

For a while, Aquareine remained silent.

"I am not sure of my power over Zog," she said at last, "and for that reason I hesitate to attack him personally. His slaves, and his allies the sea devils, I can easily conquer; so I prefer to find a way to overcome the guards at the entrances, rather than to encounter their terrible master. But even the guards have been given strength and power by the magician, as we have already discovered; so I must procure a weapon with which to fight them."

"A weapon, ma'am?" said Cap'n Bill; and then he took a jackknife from his coat pocket and opened the big blade, afterward handing it to the queen. "That ain't a bad weapon," he announced.

"But it is useless in this case," she replied, smiling at the old sailor's earnestness. "For my purpose I must have a golden sword."

"Well, there's plenty of gold around this castle," said Trot, looking around her. "Even in this room there's enough to make a hundred golden swords."

"But we can't melt or forge gold under water, mate," the Cap'n said.

"Why not? Don't you s'pose all these gold roses and things were made under water?" asked the little girl.

"Like enough," admitted the sailor; "but I don't see how."

Just then, the gong at their door sounded and the boy Sacho came in, smiling and cheerful as ever. He said Zog had sent him to inquire after their health and happiness.

"You may tell him that his water became a trifle too warm, so we cooled it," replied the Queen. Then they told Sacho how the boiling water had made them uncomfortable while they slept.

Sacho whistled a little tune, and seemed thoughtful.

"Zog is foolish," said he. "How often have I told him that vengeance is but a waste of time. He is worried to know how to destroy you, and that is wasting more time. You are worried for fear he will injure you, and so you also are wasting time. My, my! what a waste of time is going on in this castle!"

"Seems to me that we have so much time it doesn't matter," said Trot. "What's time for, anyhow?"

"Time is given us to be happy, and for no other reason," replied the boy, soberly. "When we waste time, we waste happiness. But there is no time for preaching, so I'll go."

"Please wait a moment, Sacho," said the Queen.

"Can I do anything to make you happy?" he asked, smiling again.

"Yes," answered Aquareine. "We are curious to know who does all this beautiful gold work and ornamentation."

"Some of the slaves here are goldsmiths, having been taught by Zog to forge and work metal under water," explained Sacho. "In parts of the ocean lie many rocks filled with veins of pure gold and golden nuggets, and we get large supplies from sunken ships, as well. There is no lack of gold here, but it is not as precious as it is upon the earth, because here we have no need of money."

"We would like to see the goldsmiths at work," announced the Queen.

The boy hesitated a moment. Then he said:

"I will take you to their room, where you may watch them for a time. I will not ask Zog's permission to do this, for he might refuse. But my orders were to allow you the liberty of the castle, and so I will let you see the goldsmiths' shop."

"Thank you," replied Aquareine, quietly; and then the four followed Sacho along various corridors until they came to a large room, where a dozen men were busily at work. The shop was flooded with the brilliant, unknown light. Lying here and there were heaps of virgin gold, some in its natural state and some already fashioned into ornaments and furniture of various sorts. Each man worked at a bench where there was a curious iron furnace in which glowed a vivid, white light. Although this workshop was all under water, and the workmen were obliged to breathe as fishes do, the furnaces glowed so hot that the water touching them was turned into steam. Gold, or other metal, held over a furnace quickly softened or melted, when it could be forged or molded into any shape desired.

"The furnaces are electric," explained Sacho, "and heat as well under water as they would in the open air. Let me introduce you to the foreman, who will tell you of his work better than I can."

The foreman was a slave named Agga-Groo, who was lean and lank, and had an expression more surly and unhappy than any slave they had yet seen. Yet he seemed willing to leave his work and explain to the visitors how he made so many beautiful things out of gold, for he took much pride in this labor and knew its artistic worth. Moreover, since he had been in Zog's castle, these were the first strangers to enter his workshop, so he welcomed them in his own gruff way.

The queen asked him if he was happy, and he shook his head and replied:

"It isn't like Calcutta, where I used to work in gold before I was wrecked at sea, and nearly drowned. Zog rescued me and brought me here a slave. It is a stupid life we lead, doing the same things over and over every day; but perhaps it is better than being dead. I'm not sure. The only pleasure I get in life is in creating pretty things out of gold."

"Could you forge me a golden sword?" asked the Queen, smiling sweetly upon the goldsmith.

"I could, madam; but I won't unless Zog orders me to do it."

"Do you like Zog better than you do me?" inquired Aquareine.

"No," was the answer. "I hate Zog."

"Then won't you make the sword to please me – and to show your skill?" pleaded the pretty mermaid.

"I'm afraid of my master. He might not like it," the man replied.

"But he will never know," said Princess Clia.

"You cannot say what Zog knows; or what he doesn't know," growled the man. "I can't take chances of offending Zog, for I must live with him always as a slave."

With this he turned away and resumed his work, hammering the leaf of a golden tulip.

Cap'n Bill had listened carefully to this conversation, and being a wise old sailor, in his way, he thought he understood the nature of old Agga-Groo better than the mermaids did. So he went close to the goldsmith, and feeling in the pockets of his coat drew out a silver compass, shaped like a watch.