sea devils?" asked the child, more curious than
frightened.

"Yes, dear," replied the Queen. "But I advise you to pay no
attention to them. Remember, they cannot touch us."

In order to avoid the threatening arms overhead, which followed them
as they swam, our friends kept near to the bottom of the sea, which
was here thickly covered with rough and jagged rocks. The inky water
had now been left far behind, but when Trot looked over her
shoulder, she shuddered to find a great crimson monster following
closely after them, with a dozen long, snaky feelers stretched out
as if to grab anyone that lagged behind. And there, at the side of
Princess Clia, was another devil, leering silently with his cruel,
bulging eyes at the pretty mermaid. Beside the queen swam still
another of their enemies. Indeed, the sea devils had crept upon them
and surrounded them everywhere except at the front, and Trot began
to feel nervous and worried for the first time.

Cap'n Bill kept mumbling queer words under his breath, for he had a
way of talking to himself when anything "upsot him," as he would
quaintly remark. Trot always knew he was disturbed or in trouble
when he began to "growl."

The only way now open was straight ahead. They swam slowly, yet fast
enough to keep a safe distance from the dreadful creature behind
them.

"I'm afraid they are driving us into a trap," whispered the Queen
softly. "But whatever happens, do not lose courage, earth friends.
Clia and I are here to protect you, and our fairy powers are
sufficient to keep you from all harm."

"Oh, I don't mind so very much," declared Trot calmly. "It's like
the fairy adventures in storybooks, and I've often thought I'd like
that kind of adventures, 'cause the story always turns out the right
way."

Cap'n Bill growled something just then, but the only words Trot
could make out were, "never lived to tell the tale."

"Oh, pshaw, Cap'n," she said. "We may be in danger, right enough,
an' to be honest, I don't like the looks of these sea devils at all.
But I'm sure it's no KILLING matter, for we've got the fairy circles
all around us."

"Ha ha!" laughed the monster beside her. "WE know all about the
fairy circles, don't we, Migg?"

"Ho ho!" laughed the monster on the other side. "We do, Slibb, my
boy, and we don't think much of fairy circles, either!"

"They have foiled our enemies many a time," declared the Princess
with much dignity.

"Ha ha!" laughed one. "That's why