_Chap. 16._
_The_ TOP OF THE GREAT DOME]
Cap'n Bill's heart was beating pretty fast, but he did not let Zog knowthat. Trot was so sure of the protection of the fairy mermaids that shewould not allow herself to become frightened. Aquareine and Clia wereas calm as if nothing had happened.
"Please excuse this little interruption," said Zog. "I knew very wellthe marble blocks could not hurt you. But the play is over for a time.You may now retire to your rooms, and when I again invite you to mypresence I shall have found some better way to entertain you."
Without reply to this threat they turned and followed Sacho from thehall, and the boy led them straight back to their own rooms.
"Zog is making a great mistake," said Sacho, with a laugh. "He has notime for vengeance, but the great magician does not know that."
"What is he trying to do, anyway?" asked Trot.
"He does not tell me his secrets, but I've an idea he wants to killyou," replied Sacho. "How absurd it is to be plotting such a thing,when he might spend his time in laughing and being jolly! Isn't it,now?"
"Zog is a wicked, wicked, creature!" exclaimed Trot.
"But he has his good points," replied Sacho, cheerfully. "There is noone in all the world so bad that there is nothing good about him."
"I'm not so sure of that," said Cap'n Bill. "What are Zog's goodpoints?"
"All his slaves were saved from drowning, and he is kind to them," saidSacho.
"That is merely the kindness of selfishness," said Aquareine. "Tell me,my lad, is the opening in the great dome outside guarded?"
"Yes, indeed," was the reply. "You cannot hope to escape in that way,for the prince of the sea devils, who is the largest and fiercest ofhis race, lies crouched over the opening, night and day, and none canpass his network of curling legs."
"Is there no avenue that is not guarded?" continued Aquareine.
"None at all, your Majesty. Zog is always careful to be well guarded,for he fears the approach of an enemy. What this enemy can be, toterrify the powerful magician, I do not know; but Zog is always afraidand never leaves an entrance unguarded. Besides, it is an enchantedcastle, you know, and none in the ocean can see it unless Zog wisheshim to. So it will be very hard for his enemy to find him."
"We wish to escape," said Clia. "Will you help us, Sacho?"
"In any way I can," replied the boy.
"If we succeed, we will take you with us," continued the Princess. ButSacho shook his head, and laughed.
"I would indeed like to see you escape Zog's vengeance," said he,"for vengeance is wrong and you are too pretty, and too good to bedestroyed. But I am happy here, and have no wish to go away, having noother home or friends, other than my fellow slaves."
Then he left them, and when they were again alone, Aquareine said:
"We were able to escape Zog's attacks to-day, but I am quite sure hewill plan more powerful ways to destroy us. He has shown that he knowssome clever magic and perhaps I shall not be able to foil it. So itwill be well for us to escape to-night, if possible."
"Can you fight and conquer the big sea devil up in the dome?" askedTrot.
The queen was thoughtful, and did not reply to this question at once.But Cap'n Bill said, uneasily:
"I can't abide them devil critters, an' I hopes, for my part, we won'tbe called on to tackle 'em. You see, Trot, we're in consider'ble of abad mess, an' if we ever live to tell the tale--"
"Why not, Cap'n?" asked the child. "We're safe enough, so far. Can'tyou trust to our good friend the queen?"
"She don't seem plumb sure o' things herself," remarked the sailor."The mermaids is all right an' friendly, mate, but this 'ere magicmaker--ol' Zog--is a bad one, out 'n' out, an' means to kill us, if hecan."
"But he can't!" cried Trot, bravely.
"I hope you're right, dear. I wouldn't want to bet on Zog's chances,jes' yet, an' at the same time it would be riskin' money to bet on ourchances. Seems to me it's a case of luck which wins."
"Don't worry, friend," said the Queen. "I have a plan to save us. Letus wait patiently until nightfall."
They waited in the Rose Chamber a long time, talking earnestlytogether; but the brilliant light that flooded both the room and thegreat dome outside did not fade in the least.
After several hours had passed away the gong sounded and Tom Attoagain appeared, followed by four slaves bearing many golden dishes uponsilver trays. The friendly cook had prepared a fine dinner and theywere all glad to find that, whatever Zog intended to do to them, hehad no intention of starving them. Perhaps the magician realized thatAquareine's fairy powers, if put to the test, would be able to providefood for her companions; but whatever his object may have been, theirenemy had given them splendid rooms and plenty to eat.
"Isn't it nearly night time?" asked the Queen, as Tom Atto spread thetable with a cloth of woven seaweed and directed his men to place thedishes upon it.
"Night!" he exclaimed, as if surprised. "There is no night here."
"Doesn't it ever get dark?" inquired Trot.
"Never. We know nothing of the passage of time, or of day and night.The light always shines just as you see it now, and we sleep wheneverwe are tired and rise again as soon as we are rested."
"What causes the light?" Princess Clia asked.
"It's magic, your Highness," said the cook, solemnly. "It's one of thecurious things Zog is able to do. But you must remember all this placeis a big cave, in which the castle stands, so the light is never seenby anyone, except those who live here."
"But why does Zog keep his light going all the time?" asked the Queen.
"I suppose it is because he himself never sleeps," replied Tom Atto."They say the master hasn't slept for hundreds of years; not sinceAnko, the sea serpent, defeated him and drove him into this place."
They asked no more questions, and began to eat their dinner in silence.Before long Cap'n Joe came in to visit his brother, and took a seat atthe table with the prisoners. He proved a jolly fellow, and when he andCap'n Bill talked about their boyhood days the stories were so funnythat everybody laughed, and for a time forgot their worries.
When dinner was over, however, and Cap'n Joe had gone back to his workof sewing on buttons and the servants had carried away the dishes, theprisoners remembered their troubles and the fate that awaited them.
"I am much disappointed," said the Queen, "to find there is nonight here, and that Zog never sleeps. It will make our escape moredifficult. Yet we must make the attempt, and as we are tired and agreat struggle is before us, it will be best for us to sleep andrefresh ourselves."
They agreed to this, for the day had been long and adventurous, soCap'n Bill kissed Trot and went into the Peony Room, where he lay downupon his spongy couch and soon fell fast asleep.
The mermaids and Trot followed this example, and I think none of themwas much worried, after all, because they quickly sank into peacefulslumber and forgot all the dangers that threatened them.
The Sea Fairies Page 21