n
arranging his cap, which Effie had pulled out of shape, and smoothing
down his sea-weed clothes; the fishes all went slowly along in their
regular places, only the little fishes behind would teaze the dolphins,
and the sword-fish looked as stately as the old fellow could, and gave
some serious digs at the dolphins whenever they showed signs of being
unruly; and lastly, two or three flying-fish shot off in advance of the
rest, and the procession moved slowly on.

"What is coming, I wonder!" thought Effie. Then she looked all about her
and over the little man's shoulder to see what was in front; and away
off in the distance she saw the dim outline of something that looked
like a gate-way. And as they came nearer, sure enough it was a gate-way,
and when they came up to it she saw the pillars, made of beautiful white
coral, and the gate itself made of a whale's skin, polished and studded
with shark's teeth as white as ivory. The little man stopped before the
gate, which was shut, and the sword-fish came forward in the most
pompous manner, and knocked with his sword upon the coral posts.

"Who comes here?" asked a voice within. "I demand it in the name of the
Queen of the Ocean Deeps."

"I come," said the little sea-green man, "I, the servant of the Queen of
the Ocean Deeps bearing with me the earth-born child. I crave
admittance in the name of the Queen."

At that the gates swung open and the procession moved in. Once through
the gate-way, where sat the porter--a hermit crab--the road, paved with
lovely shells, wound about, and Effie held her breath to see how
beautiful it was. They moved along the shining floor, and by-and-by they
came to another gate, more beautiful than the first, where they went
through the same form, only the porter within, just before he swung open
the doors, said:

"Enter, servant of the Queen of the Ocean Deeps, bearing the earth-born
child, and ye his attendants, but let no one enter who does not the
bidding of our good-loving Queen." As each one passed in, the porter
said:

"When thou comest through this gate,
Leave behind thee sinful hate.
He that can not--let him wait."

And each one answered, else the porter would not have let him in,

"There is no thing in all the sea,
That I or hate or hateth me.
I only hate the sin I flee."

When it came to the little fishes' turn, the old constable sword-fish
looked sharply at them, but they answered like the rest in a demure way,