rming, the begging and the pleading that
ever you saw or heard! But I did not want to eat him, nor did I mean to
kill him, either. But I did mean to teach old Mister Flier a lesson,
showing it was neither wise nor in good taste to torment a fish-fellow
that was ever so much larger and stronger than himself.

So down, down I went, until I reached a cell in a coral grove, and in I
popped his Majesty, and sat down and grinned at him. My turn to show a
wide mouth now.

Did you know a fish could tremble? That fellow trembled and shook as if
he had a fishy fit when he found himself in that den, with a great
Dolphin's eye on him. Perhaps it was indeed "an evil eye" to him. He
could have slipped out and away would I only move and give him room. Oh,
no, not just yet! I lashed the water with my strong tail, and "made up
eyes" at him, I am afraid, in a truly evil way.

Then I began to feel that it was neither kind nor noble to carry my
punishment too far, so off I slowly sailed, and out from his tight
corner slid my slippery prisoner. And he tormented me no more. I did not
mean to harm him, and do not think I did, but he slipped sideways
through the water ever after that.

It must be that he jammed a fin in his haste to escape from his cubby,
but I see him often, and always with that sideways gait. I hope he is
cured forever of making of himself a pester and a plague.

[Illustration: "MY TURN TO SHOW A WIDE MOUTH NOW"]

I was glad to see that he still could fly, and that swift as an arrow he
could dart over and under, through and across, the thousand winding ways
of our coral groves.

CHAPTER IV.

THE MERMAID'S CAVE

As I have never been in a truly house, I cannot know of all the kinds of
carpets or coverings that Folks use on the floors.

Yet I have had peeps at very lovely carpets, as in a ship's cabin, and I
know that velvet and fine, beautiful straw, as well as other kinds of
nice carpets, must be used in what Folks call their houses.

Oh, but never has a floor of wood been covered with such wonderful
material, or covering of such marvellous workmanship, as that over which
I have roamed, and on which I have rested all my life. Yet, except in
deep waters, I will not pretend that my carpets are always very soft.

In the deeper waters that I love, there are miles and miles of soft,
blue mud, that to a Dolphin is far more luxurious and enjoyable than the
thickest of velvet or the most closely, evenly plaited