ad happened--in the first place from the Parrot, who had
passed that way. So he was prepared with his answer. It did not satisfy
the Sea-gulls at all. They went away very much disappointed, for the
Albatross was in a bad temper, and said only:

"Go home and attend to the children."

They waited about until late, but he would say nothing more. So they
were obliged to return and confess their want of success to the
Mermaids, who sympathized with them, and agreed that it was very
ill-natured of the Albatross. They proposed to go to the Sea-serpent and
ask his advice, which the Sea-gulls thought a good plan. They set off at
once for the deep seas, where he lived, inquiring of the fish they met
whether any news had been heard. But the fish had nothing to tell, and
the Mermaids came to the Sea-serpent's home.

He was curled on his great rock throne, with giant seaweeds of all
colors waving round him, and the stars of the anemones gleaming out from
dark corners.

[Illustration: CONSULTING THE WISE WHITE BEAR]

The Sea-serpent listened to the request of the Mermaids; but they met
with no better luck than the Sea-gulls, for he said exactly the same:
"Go home and attend to the children."

Then he retired into the great caves, and would not come out again.

So the Mermaids went home disconsolate. They began to think they might
have to give up the hope of finding the Magic Stone.

Of course the Mer-babies heard all that was going on. They discussed
the situation, as usual. They did not mean to be left behind in this
business, though they were not considered to be of any consequence. It
was evidently correct to consult somebody who lived at a distance, and
they thought of the Wise White Bear. He was farther off, too, than
either the Albatross or the Sea-serpent, for he lived at the north pole;
but when he was mentioned the very young Mer-babies for once suggested
that it was nearly bedtime, and they found that they were sleepy. Some
one whispered that the White Bear ate the poor seals, and the youngest
Mer-babies crept into holes in the rocks to rest, they said, while the
little Sea-gulls went walking home, one behind the other, right across
the sands, without having been called. But the older Mer-babies set off
for the north pole.

They arrived home next morning, very tired and very cross. When the
sleepy ones who had stayed behind asked what the Wise Bear had said,
they would not tell, and for the first time the Mer-bab