WET MAGIC. 
uncouth, heavy Underfolk, And he looked 
sad, too. They were clad in robes of richest 
woven seaweed, sewn with jewels, and their 
crowns were like dreams of magnificence. 
Their throne was of one clear, blood-bright 
ruby, its canopy of green drooping sea- 
weed gemmed with topazes and amethysts. 
The Queen rose and came down the steps of 
the throne and whispered to her whom she 
called Submersia, and she in turn whispered 
to the four other large ladies, who held 
each a captive. 
And with a dreadful unanimity the five 
acted — with one dexterous movement they 
took off the magic jackets, and with another 
they removed the useful tails. The Princess 
and the four children stood upon the table on 
their own ten feet. 
“ What funny little things ! ” said the King, 
not unkindly. 
“ Hush ! ” said the Queen. “ Perhaps they 
can understand what you say — and, at any 
rate, that Mer-girl can.” 
The children were furious to hear their 
Princess so disrespectfully spoken of. But 
she herself remained beautifully calm. 
“ Now,” said the Queen, “ before we destroy 
your memories, will you answer questions ? ” 
“ Some questions, yes ; others, no,” said 
the Princess. 
“ Are these human children ? ” 
“ Yes.” 
<£ How do they come under the sea ? ” 
“ Mer-magic. You wouldn’t understand,” 
said the Princess, haughtily. 
“ Were they fighting against us ? ” 
“ Yes,” cried Bernard and Mavis, before 
the Princess answered. “ And lucky to do it,” 
Francis added. 
“ If you will tell us the fighting strength 
of the Merlanders your tails and coats shall 
be restored to you and you shall go free. 
Will you tell ? ” 
“ Is it likely ? ” the Princess answered. 
“ I am a Mer-woman and a Princess of the 
Royal House. Such do not betray their 
country.” 
“ No, I suppose not,” said the Queen. And 
she paused a moment before she said, 
” Administer the cup of forgetfulness.” 
The cup of forgetfulness was exceedingly 
pleasant. It tasted of toffee and cocoa-nuts 
and pineapple ices and plum-cake and roast 
chicken, with a faint under-ffavour of lavender, 
rose-leaves, and the very best eau-de Cologne. 
The children had tasted cider-cup and 
champagne-cup at parties, and had disliked 
both, but oblivion-cup was delicious. It was 
served in a goblet of opal, coloured in dreamy- 
*15 
pink and pearl — and green and blue and grey 
— and the sides of the goblet were engraved 
with pictures of beautiful people asleep. The 
goblet passed from hand to hand, and when 
each had drunk enough the Lord High Cup- 
bearer, a very handsome, reserved-looking 
fish, laid a restraining touch on the goblet 
and, taking it between his fins, handed it to 
the next drinker. So, one by one, each took 
the draught. Kathleen was the last. 
The draught had no effect on four out of 
the five — but Kathleen changed before their 
eyes, and though they had known that the 
draught of oblivion wmuld make her forget, 
it was terrible to see it do its fell work. 
Mavis had her arm protectingly round 
Kathleen, and the moment the draught had 
been swallowed Kathleen threw off that 
loving arm and drew herself away. It hurt 
like a knife. Then she looked at her brothers 
and sisters, and it is a very terrible thing 
when the eyes you love look at you as though 
you were a stranger. 
Now, it had been agreed, while still the 
captives were in the net, that all of them 
should pretend that the cup of oblivion had 
taken effect, that they should just keep still 
and say nothing and look as stupid as they 
could. But this coldness of her dear Cathy’s 
was more than Mavis could bear, and no one 
had counted on it. So when Cathy looked at 
Mavis as at a stranger whom she rather 
disliked, and drew away from her arm, Mavis 
could not bear it, and cried out in heart- 
piercing tones, “ Oh, Cathy, darling, what 
is it ? What’s the matter ? ” before the 
Princess or the boys could stop her. And 
to make matters worse, both boys said in a 
very loud, plain whisper, “ Shut up, Mavis.” 
and only the Princess kept enough presence 
of mind to go on saying nothing. 
Cathy turned and looked at her sister. 
“ Cathy, darling,” Mavis said again, and 
stopped, for no one could go on saying 
“ darling ” to anyone who looked at you as 
Cathy was looking. 
” I don’t know you,” said Kathleen, coldly, 
4< and I wish you wouldn’t call me Cathv. I 
think it’s awful cheek ! ” 
She held out her arms to the Under Queen, 
and the Queen took her and held her ; and 
the Queen looked exactly like a giant little 
girl nursing a doll. 
“ She shall be mine,” said the Queen to her 
husband. “ I will make a pet of her. I have 
never had a land-child for a pet before. 
Dear little thing ! It shall have a collar and 
chain, it shall, and I will lead it about till 
it gets to know me. You’ll like that, won’t 
