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Over and over again in her dreams little Mary Louise repeated this
song。 Then suddenly the bells seemed to change their tune。 They
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clanged out wildly until a sudden loud crash awoke her with a start。 The
engine whistle was sending forth loud； warning cries。 The Mermaid
Princess began to tremble with fright。
〃What do you suppose is the matter？〃 she whispered。
〃I'm sure I don't know；〃 replied little Mary Louise。 〃Perhaps there's
something on the track。〃
By this time all the passengers were thrusting their heads out through
the curtains of their berths。
〃Porter； Porter！〃 called the Penguin； who had been vainly pressing the
electric call…button。
But as usual； when a porter was wanted he is nowhere to be found。
Then the Baby Seal began to cry。 Suddenly all the lights went out。
Mary Louise hastily caught up her clothes and commenced dressing。
〃Thank goodness；〃 she said in a trembling voice； 〃I don't have to bother
with stockings！〃
〃I never was anything but a Mermaid；〃 said the Princess in a
frightened whisper； 〃so I don't know anything about them！〃
〃Where's my waist？〃 asked Mary Louise； hardly able to keep from
crying。 〃I can't find it anywhere； and it's so dreadfully dark； too。〃
〃Oh； dear me！〃 suddenly cried the Mermaid Princess。 〃I believe I'm
trying to get yours on over mine。 I'm so excited I forgot that I already
had on my own。〃
〃Well； I'm dressed at last；〃 exclaimed Mary Louise after wriggling and
squirming about for a few minutes longer。 〃Isn't it awful hard work
dressing in a berth？〃
Suddenly the engine bell clanged out more furiously than ever。 The
whistle shrieked again and again。 Mary Louise looked with frightened
eyes at the princess who gave a cry of terror and threw her arms about her
neck as the lights again went out。 Then there was a sudden crash； and the
Iceberg Express shivered and toppled over。
The next instant Mary Louise and the Mermaid Princess found
themselves in the water。
It was quite warm and pleasant； and in a few minutes they reached the
surface。 To their surprise they saw their fellow passenger； the little Star
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Fish； swimming near them； and not far away； on a piece of ice； the Polar
Bear porter。
〃Where are we？〃 asked Mary Louise。 But no one replied to her
question； although the Star Fish looked all around； before and behind and
both sides at once； which I'm sure you can't do no matter how hard you
may trywhile with his fifth eye he kept a bright lookout for sharks。
Presently the Polar Bear porter replied； 〃I think we are in the
Caribbean Sea。〃
And if you don't know where that is； please get out you map of North
America； although school is over； and find it。
〃I never thought we'd get here so soon；〃 said the little Star Fish at last。
〃You see； I boarded the train somewhere off Cape Cod。 And that's a long
way from here。〃
〃I got on much farther north；〃 said the Polar Bear porter； fanning
himself with a large sea shell。 〃Gracious me； but it's dreadfully hot down
here。〃
〃This Caribbean Sea is as full of mountains as New Hampshire and
Vermont are； but none of them have caps of snow like that which Mount
Washington sometimes wears；〃 said the Mermaid Princess。 〃Snow
wouldn't last a second under this hot sun。〃
〃Where did you learn all this？〃 asked Mary Louise。
〃Oh； I went to the Coral School for Girls；〃 answered the Mermaid
Princess； and she sighed； for she suddenly remembered she was a long
way from home。
Just then the little Star Fish met a soft little body； much smaller than
himself； who invited him to visit her relatives； who live； by millions； in
this mountain region。
So off they started for Coraltown； where this little Miss Polyp lived。
Her father and mother； brothers and sisters； uncles and aunts； were all
polyps。 they had built the coral islands by fastening themselves to the
tops of the mountains under the sea； year after year； and at last their soft
bodies had turned into stone。 And now you know how these millions of
little polyps finally made the small islands that dotted the surface of the
water。
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After the Star Fish and his little friend had swum away； Mary Louise
spied a boat drifting toward them。 So she and the Mermaid Princess
scrambled inside； and the polar Bear porter hoisted a sail； which he found
wrapped around a mast in the bottom of the boat。
〃Hip； hurrah； we're off once more；〃 Shouted the Polar Bear； waving his
paw； And the Mermaid Princess laughed in glee As he held the tiller and
sailed o'er the sea！
By and by the air became colder and the Mermaid said：
〃We must be near my father's castle。 I think I'll slip into the ocean
and swim home。〃
〃Before you go； please comb my hair with your magic comb so that I
may be a little girl again；〃 begged Mary Louise； 〃I don't want to be a
mermaid forever。〃
As soon as the magic pearl comb touched Mary Louise's hair her tail
changed into her own little pair of legs。
〃Now kiss me good…by；〃 said the little Mermaid Princess； and； with a
splash； she disappeared in the ocean。
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Wonderland
For a few minutes Mary Louise felt quite lonely。 Presently she
asked the Polar Bear to be kind enough to land her on the nearest shore。
At once the big kind animal trimmed in his sail and before long they
entered a beautiful bay whose dark waters were dotted with the white sails
of the fisher boats； and directly in front； climbing up to the sky； a high
mountain on which stood a castle； where from a tall tower all night long
shone a light that could hardly be told from the stars around it。
Mary Louise jumped from the boat to the beach； and then turned to
wave good…by to the Polar Bear as he sailed away to the North Pole。
Nearby sat an old fisherman on a bench mending his net。
〃Hello； little girl；〃 he said； as Mary Louise hesitated。 〃Moor your
little hulk 'longside o' me an' I'll spin you a yarn！〃
Then he began to tell how； many hundred years ago； all the land
around about was covered with a thick forest instead of the deep blue
water of the bay。
Then came the great giant Cormoran； who was 18 feet high and 3
yards wide； and his wife Cormelian； who was just as big； and they brought
from the hills great gray rocks which they piled up； one on the other；
hundreds of feet high； until they had made a mountain。 And on the top of
this they built their castle； where they lived until the giant's wife died and
was buried under the Chapel rock。
Then Jack the Giant Killer climbed up the mountain； and after a hard
fight Cormoran was killed； and there were no more giants in the land。
Next came the Small People； who cut down most of the forest； and
built cottages for themselves； ploughed the fields and made gardens。
But one day a great enchanter came that way； and his strange dress and
long gray beard frightened the women and children； and they shut their
doors in his face whenever he asked for a drink； for he had walked far and
was tired and thirsty。
At last he found the principal man of the Small People； a little old
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crusty fellow and very miserly。 And when the great enchanter asked him
for a drink of water； the Small Man told him he didn't keep a