But the mermaids lived before fishes and before mankind, so both have borrowed something from us." "Then you must be fairies if you've lived always," remarked Trot, nodding wisely.
"We are, dear.

We are the water fairies," answered the one with the blonde hair, coming nearer and rising till her slender white throat showed plainly.
"We--we're goners, Trot!" sighed Cap'n Bill with a white, woebegone face.
"I guess not, Cap'n," she answered calmly.

"These pretty mermaids aren't going to hurt us, I'm sure." "No indeed," said the first one who had spoken.

"If we were wicked enough to wish to harm you, our magic could reach you as easily upon the land as in this cave.

But we love little girls dearly and wish only to please them and make their lives more happy." "I believe that!" cried Trot earnestly.
Cap'n Bill groaned.
"Guess why we have appeared to you," said another mermaid, coming to the side of the boat.
"Why ?" asked the child.
"We heard you say yesterday you would like to see a mermaid, and so we decided to grant your wish." "That was real nice of you," said Trot gratefully.
"Also, we heard all the foolish things Cap'n Bill said about us," remarked the brown-haired one smilingly, "and we wanted to prove to him that they were wrong." "I on'y said what I've heard," protested Cap'n Bill.