four hundred and
eighty-two feet, five inches and a quarter. I'm not sure about the
quarter, but the rest is probably correct. Adam measured me when
Cain was a baby."

"Where's the rest of you, then?" asked Trot.

"Safe at home, I hope, and coiled up in my parlor," answered the Sea
Serpent. "When I go out, I usually take along only what is needed.
It saves a lot of bother and I can always find my way back in the
darkest night by just coiling up the part that has been away."

"Do you like to be a sea serpent?" inquired the child.

"Yes, for I'm King of my Ocean, and there is no other sea serpent to
imagine he is just as good as I am. I have two brothers who live in
other oceans, but one is seven inches shorter than I am, and the
other several feet shorter. It's curious to talk about feet when we
haven't any feet, isn't it?"

"Seems so," acknowledged Trot.

"I feel I have much to be proud of," continued Anko in a dreamy
tone. "My great age, my undisputed sway, and my exceptional length."

"I don't b'lieve I'd care to live so long," remarked Cap'n Bill
thoughtfully.

"So long as seven thousand four hundred and eighty-two feet, five
inches and a quarter?" asked the Sea Serpent.

"No, I mean so many years," replied the sailor.

"But what can one do if one happens to be a sea serpent?" Anko
inquired. "There is nothing in the sea that can hurt me, and I
cannot commit suicide because we have no carbolic acid or firearms
or gas to turn on. So it isn't a matter of choice, and I'd about as
soon be alive as dead. It does not seem quite so monotonous, you
know. But I guess I've stayed about long enough, so I'll go home to
dinner. Come and see me when you have time."

"Thank you," said Trot, and Merla added, "I'll take you over to his
majesty's palace when we go out and let you see how he lives."

"Yes, do," said Anko. And then he slowly slid out of the hole, which
immediately closed behind him, leaving the coral wall as solid as
before.

"Oh!" exclaimed Trot. "King Anko forgot to tell us what his third
pain was about."

"So he did," said Cap'n Bill. "We must ask him about that when we
see him. But I guess the ol' boy's mem'ry is failin', an' he can't
be depended on for pertic'lars."

CHAPTER 6

EXPLORING THE OCEAN

The queen now requested her guests to recline upon couches that they
might rest themselves from their long swim and talk more at their
ease. So the girl and the sailor allowed themselves to