little, but that was of no matter. Along the
island shore we were cruising, and I saw through the water, there very
clear, fine trees."

"Trees?" repeated the wondering child.

"Of coral, naturally!" said the Skipper. "Coral trees, Juan, shining
bright, bright, through the green water.

"'Hola, you! lower anchor!'

"It is done. I put on the diving dress. I take a rope about my waist, I
descend. There a forest I find; very beautiful thing to see. Here we see
green trees, and in your north, in fall of year, bright colours, but
there colours of rainbow all the year round. In one place bright yellow,
branch and twig of gold purely; the next, purple of a king's garment,
colour of roses, colour of peach-blossom in the spring. Past me, as I
descend, float fans of the fan-coral, lilac, spreading a vine-work,
trellis, as your word is. On the one side are cliffs of mountains, with
caves in their sides, and from these caves I see come out many
creatures; the band-fish, a long ribbon of silver with rose shining
through; the Isabelle fish, it is violet and green and gold, like a
queen. Under my feet, see, Colorado! sand white like the snow of your
winter, fine, shining with many bright sparks. And this is a garden; for
all on every hand flowers are growing. You have seen a cactus, that some
lady keeps very careful in her window, tending that it die not? Yes!
Here is the white ground covered with these flowers completely, only of
more size hugely, crimson, pale, the heart of a rose, the heart of a
young maiden. Sea-anemones are these, Colorado, many, many kinds, all
very fine to see. And here, too, on the ground are my shells, not as
here, when of their brightness the half is gone for want of the life
and the water, but full of gleams very glorious, telling of greatness in
their making. Here above the water, my little child, I find persons many
who doubt of a great God who maketh all things for good, and to grow in
the end better; but to have been under the sea, that is to know that it
cannot be otherwise; a true sailor learns many things that are not fully
known upon the land, where one sees not so largely His mercy."

He was silent for a moment, and then went on, the child sitting rapt,
gazing at him with eyes which saw all the wonders of which he told.

"All these things I saw through the clear water, as if through purest
glass I looked. I broke the branches, which now you see white and
cleaned, but then all splendid with th