hant to himself. "The King's soldiers
are already at the door." And advancing unsteadily across the room, he
threw the door open wide.

A gust of wind from the sea blew in, which bent back the flame of the
taper in his hand, and then across the threshold stepped the youngest
son. He was still a sailor and clad in sailor blue, and there was a
cutlass in his belt. So shaken with joy was the merchant that for some
time he could not utter a word, but merely clung to the strong shoulders
of the young seaman.

As for the sailor son, he managed to let his father know that he had
returned from distant lands only that very evening, and had just heard
of the disasters which had overtaken his family.

As they talked, steps were heard outside; and then, without waiting to
knock, a sergeant of the King's guard forced open the door, and,
followed by a handful of soldiers, entered the wretched room and took
the merchant and his son prisoners. They spent the night on the straw in
the royal dungeons, and in the morning were led before the King.

On seeing the merchant, the irate King scowled more angrily than
ever,--for the loss of the Emerald of the Sea had never ceased from
troubling him,--and said:--

"Well, have you found the Emerald of the Sea?"

"No," said the poor merchant.

"Summon the executioner!" cried the King.

And now the poor man would certainly have bade farewell to earth, had
not the youngest son, like his brothers, interceded with the King.

At first the King would hear not a word of it, and called to his guard
to take the prisoners instantly away; but it being whispered that the
sailor, although not much more than a lad, had once fought bravely and
been sorely wounded in the royal service, he at length gave ear to the
youngest son's prayer and said:--

"Yes, you shall have another year. But know that this year shall be the
last. If you do not return with the Emerald of the Sea within a
twelvemonth, nothing shall save you. I have spoken."

And thus the sailor son went in search of the Emerald. What happened to
him upon his search, in what situation he discovered his brothers, and
how he visited the City under the Sea, you shall shortly hear.

Now the youngest son had a little boat of his own. It was so small that,
when the wind no longer filled its sails, it could be rowed along, and
in this boat the sailor lad began his voyage. From harbor to harbor,
from nation to nation, he sailed, but never a soul h