"I can't take chances of offending Zog, for I must live with him always as a slave." With this he turned away and resumed his work, hammering the leaf of a golden ship.
Cap'n Bill had listened carefully to this conversation, and being a wise old sailor in his way, he thought he understood the nature of old Agga-Groo better than the mermaids did.

So he went close to the goldsmith, and feeling in the pockets of his coat drew out a silver compass shaped like a watch.

"I'll give you this if you'll make the queen the golden sword," he said.
Agga-Groo looked at the compass with interest and tested its power of pointing north.

Then he shook his head and handed it back to Cap'n Bill.

The sailor dived into his pocket again and pulled out a pair of scissors, which he placed beside the compass on the palm of his big hand.