90 How Sammy Went to Coral-Land 
body raised in preparation for a possible 
attack from the strangers. Away off 
among the distant rocks some dazzling 
Gold-Fish chased each other merrily 
hither and thither; a brilliant blue fish 
darted out from a near-by thicket, and a 
company of scarlet fish swam past, ma¬ 
king a beautiful picture, with the clear, 
blue waters of the Lagoon as a setting. 
Far down below myriads of gorgeous 
shells lay scattered about on the white 
sand like gay figures in a carpet, every 
color showing plainly through the won¬ 
derfully transparent water. Here a tree 
of coral rose up from the depths, its 
branches covered with lovely star-shaped 
flowers ; farther below abed of shrubbery 
sprang from hidden rocks, and close at 
hand a colony of beautiful Sea-Anemones 
lifted their proud heads, and swayed 
gracefully in the water. Some of these 
