>TER X. (continued). 
jND now the tramp, tramp, 
tramp of the great army 
sounded nearer and more 
near, and through the 
dimly - lighted water the 
children could see the great 
Deep Sea people advancing. 
Very terrible they were, big far beyond 
man-size, more stalwart and more finely- 
knit than the Forlorn hopers who had 
led the attack so happily and gloriously 
frustrated by the Crabs, the Narwhals, 
and the Sea-urchins. As the advance guard 
drew near all the children stared, from their 
places of concealment, at the faces of these 
terrible foes of the happy Merland. Very 
strong the faces were, and, surprisingly, very, 
very sad. They looked — Francis at least was 
able to see it — like strong folk suffering 
proudly an almost intolerable injury— bearing, 
bravely, an almost intolerable pain. 
But I’m on the other side/’ he told 
himself, to check a sudden rising in his heart 
of — well, if it was not sympathy, what was 
it ? 
And now t he head of the advancing column 
was level with the Princess. True to the 
old tradition which bids a commander to 
lead and not to follow his troops, she was 
the first to dart out and fix a shell to the 
heel of the left-rank man, The children 
were next. Their practice bore its fruit. 
There was no blunder, no mistake. Each 
Oyster-shell clipped sharp and clean the 
attached ankle of an enemy ; each Oyster- 
shell at the same moment attached itself 
firmly to the rock, thus clinging to his base 
in the most thorough and military way. 
A spring of joy and triumph welled up in 
the children’s hearts. How easy it was to 
get the better of these foolish Deep Sea 
folk. A faint, kindly contempt floated into 
the children's minds for the Mer-peoplc, 
who so dreaded and hated these stupid giants, 
Why, there were fifty or sixty of them tied 
by the leg already ! It was as easy as — — 
The pleasant nature of these reflections 
THAI 
