The Iceberg Express

by

David Cory

CONTENTS

 The Magic Comb The Coral Palace King Seaphus Damages The Wreck Wonderland The Enchanted Prince The Magic Seeds Candy City Toy Land

The Magic Comb

One bright morning in August little Mary Louise put on her hat and wenttrudging across the meadow to the beach. 

It was the first time she had been trusted out alone since the familyhad moved to the seashore for the summer; for Mary Louise was a littlegirl, nothing about her was large, except her round gray eyes. 

There was a pale mist on the far-off sea, and up around the sun werewhite clouds edged with the hues of pinks and violets. The tide wascoming in, and the waves, little at first, but growing larger everymoment, were crowding up, along the sand and pebbles, laughing, winkingand whispering, as they tumbled over each other, like thousands ofchildren hurrying home from school. 

Who was down there under the blue water, with the hoarse, hollow voice, urging and pushing them across the beach to her feet? And what wasthere beneath the sea, and beyond the sea, so deep, so broad and sodim, away off where the white ships, that looked smaller than seabirds, were gliding out and in?

But while Mary Louise stood still and wondered, there came a lowrippling laugh to her ear. 

A little distance down the beach a girl, somewhat older than herself, rested on the beach. She evidently was tired from swimming, for shelay half in the water and half on the warm sand, her face resting onher upturned palms, looking at Mary Louise with a smile, which seemedto say: "Why don't you come over and comb my hair?"

Indeed, this must have been exactly what she meant, for she held out apretty pearl comb until Mary Louise could resist no longer. 

Little Mary Louise had never before seen such beautiful long hair. Itspread like a scarf from the girl's shoulders down upon the sand. 

Mary Louise had forgotten that there were mermaids, and that mermaidsalways had most beautiful hair, and that they always combed it withpearly combs!

"Have you been swimming?" asked Mary Louise. 

"Yes, a long swim, " answered the little mermaid, and she gave a suddenkick in the water with her little feet, or, should I say, with hersmall fin-tail, which sent the spray flying. 

"Oh, you're a mermaid!" exclaimed Mary Louise, surprised and delightedat her unexpected discovery. "I saw your finny tail. Do you liketails better than feet?"

"I never had feet, " said the little mermaid, "so I can't say, but Ishould think they'd be very nice to walk on. "

"Yes, if you go to the mountains, as we did last summer, " answered MaryLouise, "but you don't have to climb hills in the ocean. "

"Perhaps you don't know there are mountains in the sea, " said thelittle mermaid. "Of course, you have seen nothing but their tops. What is that little rocky ledge over yonder, where the white lighthousestands, but the stony top of a hill rising from the bottom of the sea?And what are those pretty green islands, with their clusters of treesand grassy slopes, but the summits of hills lifted out of the water?"

"Oh!" said Mary Louise, with a gasp. "You do know geography, don'tyou? Is it pretty, away down there under the waves?" she addedwistfully. 

The mermaid smiled very sweetly as she answered, "Yes, it is. There aremany wonderful things to see, and many strange beautiful things to hearunder the sea! I will comb your hair with my magic comb, " and she ranthe pearly comb gently through Mary Louise's hair. 

 "Over the sea the white ships sail, Out through the mist and the rollicking gale, While deep below the mermaids swim With their finny tails so neat and trim. So please, little magic comb, don't fail To give Mary Louise a mermaid tail. "

And the more she combed the longer grew the pretty curls, until, to theastonishment of Mary Louise, she found her hair trailing down to hervery feet. The breeze suddenly blew it to one side, and there on thesand, instead of her two little shoes, was a mermaid's tail, with aflippy-floppy fin on the end!

"Come with me, " said the mermaid, and without a moment's hesitationMary Louise followed her into the water and out beyond the breakers, swimming as easily as if she had always been a little mermaid, insteadof a girl who wore tan shoes. 

"Where are we going?" asked Mary Louise, as the dim line of the shoredisappeared and there was nothing in sight but the great, restlessocean. 

The mermaid did not answer, but looked about intently, as if trying tofind something. 

"What are you looking for?" asked Mary Louise, for she was a curiouslittle girl, and forgot one question as soon as she asked another. 

"Oh, there it is!" exclaimed the mermaid. "Come with me. Hold yourhands out before you like this and dive down!"

"But where are we going?" again asked Mary Louise as they sank lowerand lower in the sea. 

"Oh, I forgot, " answered the mermaid, turning with a smile to herlittle companion; "I was so busy looking for the subway entrance that Iforgot your question. "

"Goodness!" cried Mary Louise. "I didn't know there was a subway inthe sea!"

"To be sure, " answered the mermaid. "The track lies along the bottomof the ocean. It's not a railroad train we're going to take, but awater train that comes all the way from the Northern seas, sweeping onlike a river in the sea. Wait till we get down there. You'll see howfast it goes. "

Mary Louise was too astonished to speak. 

"The Pullman cars, " continued the mermaid, "are icebergs. They comefrom the North every summer to take a trip South. "

"Whew!" shivered Mary Louise. "I think we ar near one now, for I feelquite cold. "

Sure enough, she was right, for there close at hand was a great whiteobject. 

"All aboard!" shouted a big polar bear. "Watch your step!"

The mermaid helped Mary Louise to slide on a projecting ledge, and offthey went. 

"Now we can enjoy the scenery, " laughed the mermaid, as she arrangedher tail in an artistic curve and brushed back her hair, which had beenswept over her eyes by the swift action of the water. 

"The train never stops, you know, until it reaches its destination, butthat need not interfere with our getting off any time we please shouldyou wish to visit any pretty spot we pass on our journey. "

Just at that moment there was a tremendous crash and Mary Louise foundherself thrown off into the water, while a muffled roar rolled throughthe depths of the ocean. 

The Coral Palace

"Why, the ocean is full of cracked ice!" exclaimed Mary Louise, as sheand the mermaid rose to the surface and looked about them. "I wonderwhat it was that caused such a tremendous crash?"

"Perhaps the Whale Ice Trust is after a big ice supply, " replied themermaid with a laugh. "The ocean depths are no longer a quiet placesince this dreadful hot weather set in. Just the other day I heard theKing of the Mermen say that they were about to send a note of protestto Neptune for violating the laws of Merland!"

"I don't know much about it, " said Mary Louise, "except that it's veryinconvenient to have one's voyage disturbed in such a way. What are wegoing to do now?"

"How would you like to visit the Court of the Mer King?" asked themermaid. 

"Oh, lovely!" cried Mary Louise. "I've never met any kinds, althoughI've read about them in fairy stories. "

"Come along then, " said the mermaid. "Follow me straight down, for Ithink we are not very far from the Coral Palace, where King Seaphusholds court. "

Placing the palms of her hands together diving fashion, she gave herpretty tail a kick-off, and away she went, head downward, through thewater. 

Mary Louise followed her example, somewhat surprised at the ease withwhich she executed this difficult maneuver. 

In a short time they found themselves on the bottom of the ocean. Inthe distance could be seen the dim outline of a magnificent castle ofpink and white coral. Leading up to it was a wide highway, flanked oneither side with beautiful sea-grass, and dotted here and there, likemilestones, stood columns of beautiful coral. Banks of exquisitemother-of-pearl rose at intervals along the way; water plants ofvarious hues grew in wild profusion. 

"Why, it's very much like the earth, " exclaimed Mary Louise, "only onedoesn't walk, and its not dusty, and--and it's not hot and sunny!"

"No, indeed!" said the mermaid. "But sometimes we have a pest of watergnats that are worse than mosquitoes, and we have to put up netting onour bedroom windows to keep them out. "

As she finished speaking they approached the door of the castle, onwhich she knocked with a flap of her finny tail. It was immediatelyopened by a merman dressed in the uniform of a court page. "What can Ido for you, Your Highness?" he asked, bowing low. 

"Why, are you a princess?" asked Mary Louise in surprise, turningquickly to the mermaid and forgetting for the moment that they were onthe steps of a real merman's castle. 

The little mermaid only laughed in reply, and taking Mary Louise by thehand led her through the coral doors to King Seaphus. 

His Majesty was seated on a throne of pearl, studded with many preciousstones. A long emerald robe fell from his shoulders and on his headrested a magnificent crown set with glittering jewels, which gleamedand sparkled in the dim light of the royal chamber. 

"Ah, my daughter, whom have you here?" he asked, leaning from thethrone and gazing intently at little Mary Louise. "Methinks she is amermaidized mortal!" At which the King laughed loudly, for he was veryfond of coining words and was busily engaged, when his state duties didnot interfere, in compiling a new dictionary. 

"You are right, Father Seaphus, " replied his beautiful daughter. "Letme introduce little Mary Louise. "

The King rose graciously and extended his royal right hand. MaryLouise made a low curtsey, finding it much easier now that she was amermaid to perform this little act of graciousness on account of theflexibility of her tail. 

Legs, of course, are indispensable for walking; but, then, in thesedays of new inventions, when the air is invaded by wing, and the earthtraversed by wheels, and the depths of the waters by mechanical fins, walking may soon become a lost art! Something like this may haveflitted through her mind, but she only answered in a trembling voice, "How do you do, Your Majesty!"

"You are welcome, 'Mermaid Mary, ' to our Kingdom of the Sea, " hereplied. "I hope you will enjoy your stay with us. " So saying, hegallantly lifted his gold crown as little Mary Louise made anothercurtsey. 

"Let us dress for dinner, " said the mermaid. 

They swam quickly upstairs between two balustrades of lovely coral toher bedroom. 

It was just like fairy-land; at least, it seemed so to little MaryLouise, as she looked about the pretty room. In one corner stood abeautiful bed of mother-of-pearl, hung with varied colored sea grassfor curtains. Sea moss made it as soft as down. In fact, it seemedalmost softer to Mary Louise, who by this time was very sleepy. Sherested her tired little body upon the cushions and in a few shortseconds was sound asleep. The princess mermaid looked at her withloving eyes, while she sang very low and sweetly:

 "Sleep, little sister, for when you awake, We'll have a fine dinner of fishes and cake!"

I think the mermaid took somewhat after her royal father for she oftenspoke in rhyme, which she composed as she talked, while his greatdelight, as has been mentioned before, was to coin a new word for hisdictionary. 

Leaving Mary Louise to her slumbers, the princess mermaid sat herselfdown before her mirror and combed her hair. Presently, she went overto her wardrobe and took out a beautiful shimmery pink shawl. What itwas made of I cannot tell, except that it shivered and quivered withlittle colors like a rainbow. Perhaps it was made of changeablesea-silk. 

At any rate, Mary Louise, who at that moment opened her eyes, thoughtit was the most exquisite thing she had ever seen. 

"Is it really for me? Is it really?" she asked with a cry of delight, as the mermaid came toward her. 

"Of course it is, my dear, " replied the mermaid princess, "and as soonas you have put it on, and combed your hair--you needn't wash yourhands and face, you know--the banquet will be ready. "

Mary Louise clapped her hands and hopped, or, rather, flopped about, sohappy was she to receive such a gift in the depths of the sea. 

When she was dressed in the lovely shawl, and a beautifulmother-of-pearl comb fastened in her hair, the princess mermaiddeclared she looked "too sweet for anything!" Then they floated down, arm in arm, to the great dining hall. 

King Seaphus

The great dining hall of King Seaphus was considered by all theinhabitants of Merland--that is, all those who had been lucky enough tohave seen its splendor--to be the most magnificent of its kind anywhere. 

The dining table, or banquet board, as it was called, was made ofmother-of-pearl. The pale, shimmery cloth was woven from the mostdelicate of sea-grasses. The gold and silver plates shone with astrange luster, and the goblets, fashioned of the thinnest and mostexquisite pearl, gave the impression that they were strange sea lilies. 

King Seaphus seated himself majestically at the head of the banquetboard, and little Mary Louise was shown the place on his right. At theother end sat the Mermaid Princess. Mermen in dark green liveriesserved the meal. But what delighted and interested Mary Louise themost was the way in which the food was served. Instead of ordinary, everyday dishes, it appeared in little airtight boats, which theservants guided dexterously to the table, and when opened, the steamescaped in hundreds of little bubbles that took on all the hues of therainbow. These slowly ascended through the pale green water until theyreached the surface, where they probably floated off in the air, untilthey burst, like fairy soap-bubbles. 

All kinds of delicious fish, little pink and white crabs, goldfish, luscious oysters, and, finally, coral-candy, made up the differentcourses of the dinner. When it was over and the coffee was served in abeautiful room adjoining, King Seaphus smoked a big cigar, which, toMary Louise's amazement, glowed and burned like any ordinary Havana herfather smoked at home. 

After King Seaphus had smoked away in perfect silence for some time, heturned to Mary Louise and asked:

"Where were you going, my dear, when you met my daughter?"

"Oh, nowhere in particular, " replied little Mary Louise quickly. "Yousee, I was playing on the beach when I saw the Princess, and--and--and---"

"Then I combed her hair with my magic comb, " said the Princess, comingto the relief of little Mary Louise, who was very much embarrassed bythe question. You see, she was not at all accustomed to holdconversation with royalty, and to be talking to a Merman King was, perhaps, even more disconcerting. 

"We took the subway, " continued his daughter, "we caught the IcebergExpress, and, well, here we are. "

"So I see, " said the King. 

Mary Louise gave a giggle and, forgetting her embarrassment, exclaimed, "And just as we were safe on board, after the Polar Bear porter hadtold us to 'watch our step, ' there was an awful explosion, and we foundourselves floating about in the midst of a lot of cracked ice. "

"Indeed, " exclaimed King Seaphus, "this is the second time in the lastmonth we've had an accident on the Sea Bottom Subway. I must call inmy Prime Minister and have an investigation begun at once. "

Pulling vigorously on a beautifully braided sea-grass rope, he awaitedthe coming of a page. Little Mary Louise heard the far-off tinkle ofthe bell, and presently the Mer-bell-boy appeared. 

"Summon his most excellent self, the Prime Minister, " commanded KingSeaphus. 

The Mer-boy page glided away and presently appeared, deferentiallyescorting the Prime Minister. The latter was a very distinguishedlooking person. His long, white beard was parted gracefully in thecenter, no doubt by the action of the water as he swam up to where theKing sat. As befitted so important an official, he was clad in a long, red robe, which reached nearly to the end of his fin-tail. His head wasadorned with a crimson cap and tassel made of the softest velvetsea-grass. 

"What is your majesty's command?" he asked, bending low before KingSeaphus. The King did not reply for a moment. He was a wise King, andthought for several minutes before he spoke. This made the PrimeMinister fidget about on his tail. If he had been a Prime Minister ofany land, and not of the sea, he probably would have stood first on oneleg and then on the other, but, as he had no feet, he shifted aboutuneasily on his fin-tail until the King spoke. 

"I hear there has been another wreck on the Sea Bottom Subway. "

The Prime Minister coughed, and little bubbles rose from the end of hisnose, the sight of which almost caused Mary Louise to giggle aloud. But she remembered her manners in time and saved herself themortification of such a breach of etiquette. 

"Yes, Your Royal Highness, " admitted the Prime Minister, "but Iunderstand it was not at all serious. One of the Iceberg cars wasdemolished, and one of the Polar Bear porters, I believe, although I amnot certain at the moment, was slightly injured. None of thepassengers was hurt, with the possible exception of a Star Fish, whocomplained of a slight pain in one of his five fingers--I forget, forthe moment, which finger. "

"Is the road again in operation?" inquired King Seaphus. 

"Not yet, your Royal Highness, " replied the Prime Minister, "but I haveevery assurance from the management that trains will be running, at thevery latest, by tomorrow morning. "

"You will have to spend the night with us, then, " said the Princess, turning to Mary Louise, with a smile. "You know, " she added in awhisper, "I'm glad there was an accident; otherwise you would not havecome to our castle, and we might not have grown to be such friends. "

"Don't whisper, my daughter, " said King Seaphus. "Your mother willthink, should she hear that you had been so rude during her absence, that she cannot leave home to even visit her mother for a week withoutyour becoming demoralized. "

The Prime Minister coughed behind his hand, while the little bubblesrose again through the pale green of the sea-water. Mary Louise feltquite embarrassed, and the little Princess blushed. King Seaphuslooked sternly at all three. 

Just then a loud knocking was heard on the castle door. "Billows andbreakers!" exclaimed the King, "what is that?"

Damages

King Seaphus waited anxiously as the knocking on the castle doorcontinued. "Billows and breakers, " he exclaimed again, expectantlywaiting for the visitor or visitors to be announced. 

Just as his impatience was nearly exhausted, a court page appearedescorting a Polar Bear and a Star Fish. Mary Louise at once recognizedthe former as the porter on the Iceberg Express. The visitors bowedrespectfully to the King, and the little Star Fish winked one of hisfive small eyes at the Princess. The Polar Bear smiled at Mary Louise, but said nothing. 

"Well, " exclaimed King Seaphus, after a brief silence, "you honor us byyour presence, but, what do you want?"

"I want redress, " cried the Star Fish in a queer little gurgle. 

"You want what?" thundered the King, realizing now that his visitorswere looking for damages on account of the accident. This naturallyworried him, as he was a heavy stockholder in the Sea Bottom Subway. 

"One of my five fingers has been badly bruised, " continued the StarFish, "for which reason I shall sue for damages. "

"I have suffered internal injuries, " said the Polar Bear, speaking upquickly, encouraged by the independent manner of the Star Fish. 

"Internal injuries!" laughed the King; "infernal fiddlesticks, I haveheard that tune before!"

"Your Highness, " interposed the Star Fish, "my condition is quiteserious. As I have but five fingers, to have one of them injured isfar worse than to have one of my feet, for of the latter I havehundreds. "

The King looked at him inquiringly. Although he was Monarch of theSea, perhaps he did not know that a Star Fish, while he has hundreds oflittle feet, has no legs at all. Even his feet do not move as ordinaryfeet do, one before the other; they can only cling like little suckerspulling him slowly along from place to place. 

"Neither am I like the everyday common fish. My mouth is in the centerof my body, and I have a little scarlet-colored sieve through which Istrain the sea-water. I couldn't think of swallowing sea-water witheverything that might be floating in it. "

"Holy mackerel!" exclaimed the King, under his breath, "I'd bettersettle with this individual as quickly as possible. He'll drive mecrazy if I don't, and maybe, cause me no end of trouble. "

"Your Royal Highness, " began the Polar Bear, "I was hit by a largepiece of ice in the chest. "

"In the ice-chest or in the ice-box?" inquired the King, his humorgetting the better of his anger, for he could never let go by anopportunity to make a pun. 

"Your Royal Highness, " interrupted the Star Fish, "I wish to state thatI took this little trip for my health. My doctor told me I must goSouth. So I boarded the Iceberg Express at Cape Cod, intending tospend the summer in the mountains. "

"In the mountains!" roared King Seaphus. "You don't go to the seashorefor the mountains! You should have gone inland to the White Mountainsor the Catskills--those are well-known summer resorts. "

"May it please your Royal Highness, " said the Star Fish, stroking hisbeautiful purple coat with one of his five little fingers, "I was boundfor the Caribbean Sea, which is as full of mountains as New Hampshireand Vermont are. Of course, none of them have caps of snow like MountWashington, for it's nice and warm in the Caribbean Sea; that's thereason I want to go there. But, if the Iceberg Express is wrecked, howam I to continue my journey?"

"Sufferin' mackerel!" exclaimed King Seaphus; this time he uttered thewords aloud and not under his breath, "Sufferin' mackerel! I'll seethat you get there, if I have to charter a special train!"

"But what about my finger?" asked the Star Fish. 

"Oh, I'll reimburse you for your ticket, " exclaimed the King. "Andnow, what can I do for you?" he asked, turning to the Polar Bear. 

"Train Porters have very low wages, " replied the Polar Bear. 

"Very well, " answered King Seaphus, "I will see that yours aredoubled, " and he waved the two visitors away with a haughty gesture. The court page then escorted them to the door. 

"You heard what I said, " cried the King, turning to the Prime Minister. "Now go to the General Manager of the Sea Bottom Subway and inform himof my wishes. Also that he must have an express ready to start for theCaribbean Sea tomorrow morning without fail. "

The Prime Minister bowed respectfully and departed. 

"Whew!" exclaimed the King, smiling at Mary Louise and his daughter assoon as the three were again alone, "if that Star Fish wasn't a walkingencyclopedia! He had everything at his five finger-ends!"

"I think I'll take the same train as the little Star Fish, " said MaryLouise, "for I've never been to the Caribbean Sea and I think it mustbe a lovely place. "

"May I go with Mary Louise?" asked the Mermaid Princess. 

"Well, I don't see why not, " answered her father, after a pause, "onlyyou must get back inside of a fortnight, for your mother will be homeby that time. "

"I must see that my mother-of-pearl trunk is packed, " said thePrincess. "Come with me, Mary Louise. " Then curtseying to the King, they swam up the water stairway to the room of the little mermaid. 

The next morning found Mary Louise and the Mermaid Princess waitinganxiously at the station for the Iceberg Express. On the platform theyrecognized among the passengers their little friend, the Star Fish. Ina few minutes the express thundered into the station. "Watch yourstep!" yelled the Polar Bear Porter as he helped Mary Louise and thePrincess on board. Then with a rush and a roar the Iceberg Expressstarted on its journey for the Mountains of the Sea!

The Wreck

Mary Louise and the Mermaid Princess settled themselves backcomfortably in their seats and looked about them. The Iceberg Expresscertainly had every convenience. Of course almost everything was madeof ice. But, then, so is most everything in a Pullman car made ofsteel. There was really very little difference except that the ice wasmuch prettier, it was so clear and white, and the moss cushions thatcovered the seats were soft and springy. The crystal chandeliers thathung from the ceiling were resplendent with little twinkling lights, and the curtains at the ice-paned windows were made of the thinnestspun ice threads. Even the little drinking cups that were packed in acolumn, one within the other, at the ice water tank, were made of thinice. 

"I don't feel the least bit cold, " said Mary Louise, turning with alaugh to her mermaid friend. "Do you?"

"Not the least bit, " she replied. 

"It's so different, though, from the first train we were on, " continuedMary Louise. "It isn't anything like it really. Why, the first trainwas only an ordinary iceberg, don't you remember?"

"That's because we never went inside, " replied the mermaid. "We didn'thave the opportunity, the explosion came so soon. "

"That's so, " agreed Mary Louise. "The only think I distinctly rememberis the Polar Bear porter calling out to be careful, and then the awfulexplosion. After that we were in the water and there was nothingaround us but cracked ice. "

"Dining car in the rear, " announced the Polar Bear porter, walking downthe isle with a menu card held gracefully in his paw. "Last call forthe dining car!"

"Goodness!" exclaimed Mary Louise. "Let's hurry, or we won't be ableto get anything to eat, and I always love to eat in a dining car. "

Jumping up from the seat, she and the Princess swam down the aisle, across the vestibuled platform, through the next car, and then into thediner. 

There were quite a number of passengers still seated at the differentlittle tables. A soldierly looking Penguin sat at one and a few tablesbeyond a motherly looking Seal with a baby boy Seal at her side wasjust finishing some delicious looking pink water ice. 

Mary Louise and the Mermaid sat down at the nearest table and lookedover the menu. It was great fun selecting what they wanted, and whenthey had finished their water ices they felt that they had dined mostsumptuously. 

They then returned to their seats and looked out of the window for atime. Strange sights met their eyes as the train rushed on. Therewere no telegraph poles to count, nor cows to see grazing in greenmeadows. Instead, however, were numerous fish swimming here and there, some of gorgeous coloring, others of white or silver hue. Hills andvalleys of sand, as well as long meadows of seaweed, stretched away formiles and miles. Strange-looking sea animals crawled close to therushing train. If they came too close the suction of the water drewthem along until they disappeared beneath the car. 

As darkness settled down over the quiet deep, Mary Louise turned fromthe window with a sigh. "I feel sleepy already, " she said, "and it'sonly supper time!"

"We'll tell the porter to make up our berths, " said the MermaidPrincess. "He can do it while we are having our supper in the diningcar. "

On their return they found their berth in readiness. Soft greenseaweed curtains hung gracefully to the floor, one of them being drawnaside, showing a little white bed. It looked as comfortable as her ownlittle bed at home, Mary Louise thought. 

It took the two little mermaids but a few minutes to undress, and assoon as their tired heads touched the pillow they were sound asleep. 

 Softly the seabells are ringing away, Dipping and dripping and white with the spray, Ding-dong, and ding-dong, and ding-dong, so deep, The seabells are singing me softly to sleep. 

Over and over again in her dreams little Mary Louise repeated thissong. Then suddenly the bells seemed to change their tune. Theyclanged out wildly until a sudden loud crash awoke her with a start. The engine whistle was sending forth loud, warning cries. The MermaidPrincess 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'ssomething on the track. "

By this time all the passengers were thrusting their heads out throughthe curtains of their berths. 

"Porter, Porter!" called the Penguin, who had been vainly pressing theelectric 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 tobother with stockings!"

"I never was anything but a Mermaid, " said the Princess in a frightenedwhisper, "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'mtrying to get yours on over mine. I'm so excited I forgot that Ialready had on my own. "

"Well, I'm dressed at last, " exclaimed Mary Louise after wriggling andsquirming about for a few minutes longer. "Isn't it awful hard workdressing in a berth?"

Suddenly the engine bell clanged out more furiously than ever. Thewhistle shrieked again and again. Mary Louise looked with frightenedeyes at the princess who gave a cry of terror and threw her arms abouther 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 themselvesin the water. 

It was quite warm and pleasant, and in a few minutes they reached thesurface. To their surprise they saw their fellow passenger, the littleStar Fish, swimming near them, and not far away, on a piece of ice, thePolar 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 bothsides at once, which I'm sure you can't do no matter how hard you maytry--while with his fifth eye he kept a bright lookout for sharks. 

Presently the Polar Bear porter replied, "I think we are in theCaribbean Sea. "

And if you don't know where that is, please get out you map of NorthAmerica, although school is over, and find it. 

"I never thought we'd get here so soon, " said the little Star Fish atlast. "You see, I boarded the train somewhere off Cape Cod. Andthat's a long way from here. "

"I got on much farther north, " said the Polar Bear porter, fanninghimself with a large sea shell. "Gracious me, but it's dreadfully hotdown here. "

"This Caribbean Sea is as full of mountains as New Hampshire andVermont are, but none of them have caps of snow like that which MountWashington sometimes wears, " said the Mermaid Princess. "Snow wouldn'tlast 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 MermaidPrincess, and she sighed, for she suddenly remembered she was a longway from home. 

Just then the little Star Fish met a soft little body, much smallerthan himself, who invited him to visit her relatives, who live, bymillions, 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 allpolyps. They had built the coral islands by fastening themselves tothe tops of the mountains under the sea, year after year, and at lasttheir soft bodies had turned into stone. And now you know how thesemillions of little polyps finally made the small islands that dottedthe surface of the water. 

After the Star Fish and his little friend had swum away, Mary Louisespied a boat drifting toward them. So she and the Mermaid Princessscrambled inside, and the polar Bear porter hoisted a sail, which hefound 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 oceanand swim home. "

"Before you go, please comb my hair with your magic comb so that I maybe a little girl again, " begged Mary Louise; "I don't want to be amermaid forever. "

As soon as the magic pearl comb touched Mary Louise's hair her tailchanged into her own little pair of legs. 

"Now kiss me good-by, " said the little Mermaid Princess, and, with asplash, she disappeared in the ocean. 

Wonderland

For a few minutes Mary Louise felt quite lonely. Presently she askedthe 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 theyentered a beautiful bay whose dark waters were dotted with the whitesails of the fisher boats, and directly in front, climbing up to thesky, a high mountain on which stood a castle, where from a tall towerall night long shone a light that could hardly be told from the starsaround it. 

Mary Louise jumped from the boat to the beach, and then turned to wavegood-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 yourlittle hulk 'longside o' me an' I'll spin you a yarn!"

Then he began to tell how, many hundred years ago, all the land aroundabout was covered with a thick forest instead of the deep blue water ofthe bay. 

Then came the great giant Cormoran, who was 18 feet high and 3 yardswide, and his wife Cormelian, who was just as big, and they broughtfrom 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 topof this they built their castle, where they lived until the giant'swife died and was buried under the Chapel rock. 

Then Jack the Giant Killer climbed up the mountain, and after a hardfight 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 builtcottages for themselves, ploughed the fields and made gardens. 

But one day a great enchanter came that way, and his strange dress andlong gray beard frightened the women and children, and they shut theirdoors in his face whenever he asked for a drink, for he had walked farand was tired and thirsty. 

At last he found the principal man of the Small People, a little oldcrusty fellow and very miserly. And when the great enchanter asked himfor a drink of water, the Small Man told him he didn't keep a hotel forbeggars. And this made the great enchanter so angry that he struck theground with his staff, so that it made a deep hole, and then he wentupon his journey. 

Soon a little spring of water bubbled up through the hole, and by andby a stream burst forth that swelled to a river, and after a time thewhole land was drowned, and only the high mountain remained above thewater. 

But the Small People who were buried under the water didn't die. Theylived on just the same, waiting for the enchanter to return and liftthe spell, and the land to rise, again with all the people on it. 

When the old fisherman had finished his story, he said, "I will takeyou in my boat to see the Small People deep down in the water. 

"Yes, come with me in my boat and you shall see the Wonderland underthe Sea. "

As soon as the old fisherman had hoisted the sail, away they went outto sea over a wide path of moonlight like a silver road leadingstraight out to the sky where it dipped down to the water. 

All of a sudden Mary Louise noticed something come close up under theside of the boat, and remain there staring straight at her. She bentover until she nearly touched the water, when what she had taken for afish appeared to be a very odd-looking little man. He was even shorterthan she, very broad about the shoulders, with funny little arms andfeet that were brought together at the heels, with the toes turnedstraight out when he stood up, making them look like a fish's tail. His eyes were big and round, without any eyelids or eyebrows. But hismouth was the funniest part, and when he opened it, he looked like afish trying to talk. He was dressed in silvery white, shaded to blueand green. 

With a sudden nod, he pointed to the road which opened behind him downthrough the depths of the water until lost in the distance. 

Little Mary Louise could not take her eyes from him, and, forgettingall about the old fisherman and the boat, she bent over more and more, so as to look closer at the funny little old man, until, splash! downshe went into the water. 

Then came a tremendous ringing in her ears and she felt her breath goand she knew nothing more until she found herself standing with thestrange little fish man by the side of a splendid carriage made of ascallop shell, burnished until it shone with pearl and silver, anddrawn by two beautiful gold-fish and two silver-fish harnessed with thesilken threads of the finest sea-mosses, and driven by an old coachmanthat looked like a mackerel. 

 "We are the sea-horses of the deep, And we race through the waters blue, Faster than wind and swifter than tide We gallop the ocean through. "

"Jump in, " said the little old fish man; and without a question MaryLouise stepped into the carriage and sat down on the beautifulpea-green cushions. 

Then the little man got in, the mackerel-faced coachman cracked hiswhip, the gold and the silver fishes darted ahead, and away they went. 

Great trees waved their long branches as the carriage swept past, andodd-looking shapes came out from behind them. Huge mouths opened andshut, long arms waved about trying to catch anything in their reach, and fierce looking monsters with fishes' heads came rushing in from allsides, to stare at little Mary Louise with their great savage eyes. 

Presently the little old man stood up and bowing politely, told themthat Mary Louise had never caught a fish with a cruel hook. 

Then these dreadful monsters snapped their horny jaws and swam away. 

At once the mackerel-faced coachman whipped up his team of gold andsilver fishes and away they went spinning down the road again. 

At last the carriage stopped in front of a fine mansion, and MaryLouise and the little old man jumped out on the smooth beach ofsparkling sand which sloped down to a glassy lake on which curious andbeautiful little boats were sailing in all directions. 

Along the edge of the lake were many houses, some stately castles andsome little cottages. The little cottages were covered with creepingplants abloom with red flowers and the stately castles with moss likevines. 

But the people. Oh dear me! They were the strangest folk! Some hadvery long noses and ugly looking teeth in their wide mouths, and otherswere so thin they looked like small sticks, and others so round thatthey could almost trundle themselves along like a coach-wheel. Somewere dressed in the shabbiest clothes, others in splendid suits, andsome covered with knobs and spikes and strange looking armor. 

"Come, " said the little fish man, and he led Mary Louise into his house. 

Presently he brought out from a closet a quaintly shaped box. "It isthe legend of Wonderland that a little girl shall break the spell thathangs over us. For it is deemed well-nigh impossible that a mortalchild would venture beneath the water to visit us. Therefore, littleMary Louise, if I call all my people together, will you open this boxand deliver us from the spell of the Great Enchanter?"

"I will, " she answered bravely, and at once the little old fish mancalled together all his subjects. 

As little Mary Louise looked at the box she saw printed on the coverthese words:

 "If a little girl mortal Shall uncover this prize, The sea will sink And the land will rise. "

And, would you believe it, the first thing she knew after carefullyopening the box, she was back in the boat with the old sailor, who wasshading his eyes and looking towards a beautiful green island that hadsuddenly come out of the water. 

The Enchanted Prince

"Would you like to land on the island?" asked the old sailor who seemedin no wise surprised that an island should suddenly come up out of thesea. 

"Yes, " gasped little Mary Louise, "it may be a wonderful place. Icertainly saw strange things beneath the water. "

"To be sure you did, " replied the old sailor, taking it as a matter ofcourse that a little girl should make a trip to Wonder Land under theSea, and return safe and sound. 

But then, you know, Mary Louise may have still retained some of thecharm of the little mermaid's magic comb. 

Well, anyway, the old sailor steered his boat over to the green island, where Mary Louise jumped out and after saying good-by to her sailorfriend, set off to look for new adventures. 

After a while, she came to a great wood, where the trees were as bigaround as smoke stacks on an ocean liner. 

All of a sudden, she heard the sound of a woodman's ax, and thecrackling of the branches as they fell to the ground. 

"It must be some giant cutting down a tree, " she thought, and shestarted off in the direction of the sound, and by and by, she saw agiant beaver. He was a most wonderful sort of an animal, for he couldswing an ax as well as a man. Near at hand flowed a great river, wherea white water horse snorted as he dashed the spray high in the air withhis forefeet. 

"Are you one of Neptune's horses?" asked little Mary Louise. "I onceread a story of a little boy named Hero who rode with King Neptune inhis wonderful chariot. "

"No, little girl, " answered the beautiful sea horse kindly. "But I canshow you some wonderful things. Jump on my back and I will take you toa strange place. "

Then away went the great Water Horse over the water and through thespray and Mary Louise wasn't the least bit afraid although she had nowater wings and might have slipped of into the water. 

"Where are we going?" she asked, after a while, for by this time theywere far away from the shore and going up a dark river. 

"I'm going to show you the beautiful Green Waterfall Cave, " answeredthe big Sea Horse, shaking his mane until it seemed almost as if itwere raining. 

Well, pretty soon he stopped, telling Mary Louise to bend over hisback, before he swam into a big opening in a gray rock. 

"Now lift up your head, " he said, and when Mary Louise looked aroundshe saw they were in a beautiful cave. All about them were strangepeople, Mermaids and Water Nymphs, Water Sprites and Mermen, fishes anddolphins, and even a whale, although he wasn't very large. If he hadbeen, he wouldn't have been there, for the entrance to the cave wasjust wide enough for him to squeeze through. 

Well, no sooner did they see the big Sea Horse, than they all said atonce, "Hail to our King!" and crowded around looking curiously at MaryLouise, and one little mermaid pinched her toe. 

"This is Mary Louise, " explained the great white Sea Horse. "I havebrought her to our cave to see the wonders of our Water Country. "

At once the whale blew a stream of water into the air, the dolphinsturned somersaults and the little mermaid who had just pinched MaryLouise's toe, stood up on a big pearly shell and sang:

 "In this river that leads to the sea, We all live happy as happy can be, The crocodile comes and opens his jaws, And the giant crab stretches out his claws, And the sword fish chases the sharp toothed shark, But here we are safe when the day grows dark, And the pale white moon looks down from the sky, And the little star winks her golden eye. "

And when she had finished, she swam up close to the big Sea Horse andpicking up Mary Louise placed her in a great shell that sailed over thewater just like a boat to the end of the cave where a little path ranalong close to the water's edge till it came to a door. 

"Tap gently three times, " said the little mermaid. 

And then, all of a sudden, it opened and there stood a great SeaSerpent. 

"What do you want?" he asked with a dreadful hiss and his breath waslike steam and his long red tongue like a thin flame. 

"O wise Serpent, " said the mermaid, "do not frighten little MaryLouise. She is traveling through our country and means no harm. "

"Then she may come into my kingdom, " replied the great Serpent, and heglided swiftly away. 

"Do not fear him, " said the little mermaid. "I cannot go with you, butyou will be perfectly safe, " and she closed the door and swam away, leaving little Mary Louise all alone. 

It was a strange country in which Mary Louise found herself as shefollowed the great Serpent who was now some distance ahead. Greattrees and moss-covered rocks were on every side, and only by keeping tothe narrow path was it possible to find a way through them. 

By and by the Serpent stopped at a gate in a high stone wall, whichswung open slowly as he tapped upon it. 

"Now, let me tell you something, " he said, leading Mary Louise to aseat beneath a beautiful tree in a large garden close by a statelycastle. 

While she rested on the marble bench the great Serpent coiled himselfin a ring, his head raised about two feet above the ground. He hadwonderful black eyes and as he looked at her she almost fancied therewere tears in them. 

"Once upon a time, not so very long ago, " he began, "a young princelived in this castle. But one day a wicked magician disguised as apoor beggar came to the kitchen door and asked for bread. Now ithappened to be baking day, and the Royal Baker had just placed athousand loaves of dough in the oven. He was tired and hot and said tothe beggar in a cross voice: 'You must wait until evening. ' This madethe beggar man dreadfully angry, and the next minute he waved a crookedstick above his head and cried, 'Let the master of this castle and hishousehold become snakes!' Instantly, a great change came over all wholived in the castle. The prince turned into a serpent and all theretainers became snakes. "

As he finished speaking, the poor Snake gave a low cry and hid his headin the grass. 

"Cheer up, " said Mary Louise, for she knew at once that the serpent wasthe poor prince in disguise. "I have a magic ring!"

Dear me, I forgot to mention that the Princess Mermaid had given it tolittle Mary Louise for a charm against evil. 

"But what can that do for me?" asked the poor serpent prince. 

"Leave that to me, " replied little Mary Louise, and she turned themagic ring around three times, and, all of a sudden, a little Black Manappeared. 

"What can I do for you, little Mistress?" he asked. 

"This serpent was once a handsome prince, " explained Mary Louise, "butby the magic of a wicked magician has been changed into a snake. Helphim to regain his natural shape. "

"That is a hard matter, " said the little Black Man thoughtfully. "Iknow this wicked magician. He has great power and it takes a strongcharm to work against his evil power. "

And then the little Black Man ran his hand through his crinkly hair andthought for a while. 

"There is a crimson apple that grows in the Gardens of the West, " hesaid at last, "which if eaten, enables one to regain his natural shape. But the distance is far, and the way dangerous. And the owner of thegarden refuses admittance to any man. But whether he would refuse alittle girl, I do not know. "

"I can but try, " said little Mary Louise bravely. And when the serpentheard this, he lifted up his head and said:

"If you will undertake this great deed for me, I will give you whateveryou desire, even my castle and all my lands. "

"I would not take them from you, " replied Mary Louise. "I am only alittle girl. " And she paused for a moment, wondering when and how shewould return to her dear mother's home. 

"How may I reach the Gardens of the West?" she asked anxiously. 

"You must go down to the sea and wait for the sun to sink in the west, "answered the little Black Man. "And when you see golden rays, like abright road upon the water, call to King Neptune. I will give you awhistle made from a pearl shell on which you must blow three times, andwhen the King of the Sea hears it, he will come to you. But whether hewill carry you across the ocean in his chariot, I know not. But youcan try. "

And the little Black Man disappeared. 

"Do you think you will be able to do all this?" asked the serpentanxiously. 

"I do, " replied Mary Louise, and she opened the garden gate and madestraight for the great ocean, and by and by she came to the beach, where the great waves rolled and broke into foamy spray making thepretty shells glisten in the sun. 

No sooner had Mary Louise blown three times upon the magic whistle thanKing Neptune drove up in his beautiful chariot. His splendid horseswith foamy manes raised their forefeet and snorted till the old SeaKing was forced to quiet them. 

"What can I do for you, pretty maiden?" he asked kindly. 

"Oh please, Mr. Neptune, take me to the garden of golden apples. Imust give one to a poor Snake Prince that he may regain his human form. "

King Neptune remained silent for a time. At last he put his hand inhis great pocket and said with a sigh:

"Here is a golden apple. It was to be a present to my wife. But itwill be of greater use to this poor Snake Prince. "

"Thank you, thank you, " cried Mary Louise, and running hastily back tothe garden she stood before the poor miserable snake. 

"Here is the magic golden apple, " she cried in a glad voice. No soonerhad the serpent eaten the apple, than, all of a sudden, just as heswallowed the last piece, he changed into a handsome prince and all hisretainers and servants who were snakes, you remember, regained theirhuman form. 

"Now you shall have whatever is in my power to grant, " said the prince, "even if you ask for my castle. "

"I will take nothing from you, " replied generous little Mary Louise, "unless you wish to give me the ring you wear on your finger. "

"It is yours, " said the prince. "May you always wear it and rememberme. "

The Magic Seeds

Little Mary Louise placed the ring upon her finger and then bidding thePrince good-by turned her steps as she thought, towards home. But shehad gone but a short way when she came to a funny little dwarf tuggingat a great sunflower, and every once in a while he'd shake the stalkuntil down would come a shower of black seeds, which he put in a smallbasket. 

"Hello, " cried Mary Louise, "don't you want me to help you?"

When the little dwarf heard her voice, he started to run away, but MaryLouise caught him by the tail of his coat. 

"Don't be afraid of me, little dwarf, I won't harm you. "

So the dwarf set down his basket of seeds, and after he hadstraightened his coat, for it was half off his back, he said:

"I'll give you some of the seeds. They are very wonderful seeds. "

Then little Mary Louise said good-by and by and by she came to a poorwoodcutter's hut. In answer to her knock an old woman opened the door. 

"How do you do!" she said with a bow, and then she told Mary Louisethat her husband had just gone to the village for sunflower seeds. Wasn't that strange? It made Mary Louise laugh and taking from herpocket a handful she showed them to the old lady. 

"My husband may not find any, " she said. "Will you give me two that Imay plant them on each side of our front door?" Then digging a hole inthe ground on each side of the step she planted the seeds. And, wouldyou believe it? all of a sudden a yellow stalk sprung up, and prettysoon it was as high as the door and then it was higher than the roofand before long it reached way up into the sky, so far and so high thatyou couldn't see the top. 

"Goodness gracious me!" exclaimed the old woman. "What kind of seedsare these?"

"I'll climb up and see, " and up the stalk went little Mary Louise. Bigger and bigger it grew until finally it spread out altogether into agreat big meadow covered with sunflowers. 

Everywhere the birds were singing and little rabbits hopping about, andnearby a flock of lambs nibbling the fresh green grass. 

"Oh my!" exclaimed little Mary Louise, "this is strange, very strange!"

When, all of a sudden, one of the sunflowers began to sing:

 "I love the sun in the big blue sky, As he rolls along his pathway high, Through the clouds and over the blue While he brightly shines on me and you. There's no one else that I love so much As the golden sun with his soft warm touch. "

And then all the sunflowers joined in the chorus:

 "Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful sun, We turn and follow you as you run Over the soft and azure sky; Beautiful sun with your golden eye. "

When the song was finished, little Mary Louise went on her way, and itwas very lucky for her that the grass was soft, for she wore no boots, which I forgot to mention she had left a the foot of the big giantsunflower by the side of the poor woodman's hut. 

Well, by and by, she came to a little shoemaker's shop, where theshoemaker sat just outside the door. 

"Have you a pair of red top boots?" she asked. And would you believeit? That shoemaker got up and walked inside his shop and took down abox from the top shelf, and there inside was a beautiful pair of redtop boots, which fitted as if they had been made for her. Well wasn'tthat the luckiest thing that could have happened?

But perhaps it was just as lucky that she found money enough in herpocket to pay for them. 

Pretty soon, not so very far, she came to a fountain where all day longthe water played a soft little song:

 "Over the pebbles and over the sand I run till I reach the sea-shore land, Where the pink shells sing and the big waves roar, And the mermaids comb their hair on the shore. "

"I think I'll follow this pretty book, " said Mary Louise, "and maybe itwill take me home. "

She ran along its mossy banks until she came to the seashore. Rightthere on the soft warm sand sat a mermaid combing her long hair. 

With a glad cry Mary Louise ran towards her. But it wasn't her friendthe Mermaid Princess. No, she was a strange little mermaid, who gave afrightful scream and with a flop of her graceful tail, glided into thewater. Just as she was about to dive down out of sight, she saw herpretty pearl comb on the beach. 

"Don't be afraid of me, " said Mary Louise, picking it up and leaningover the water. "I know your Princess Mermaid--daughter of KingSeaphus, " and she handed the little mermaid the pearly comb, who thenswam away to her island of coral and pearl. 

"Heigh ho, " sighed little Mary Louise, "here I am by the sad sea waveswith nobody to talk to, " and as she had nothing to do, she dug a holein the sand and thrusting in both her feet, covered them up. All of asudden a tremendous crab crawled up and before she could run away, fastened his great claw in her sleeve. 

 "Oh I am king of the blue sea crabs, And king of the sandy shore, And I can fight as well as bite With my big tre-men-dous claw. Oh, I can pinch as well as a clam, I'm king of all pinchers, you bet I am. "

Now little Mary Louise was a brave girl, and unclasping her breastpin, she stuck the point right in the wrist of the Crab King's claw, afterwhich he began to sing a different kind of song, and the tears came outof his eyes, and pretty soon he begged to be let alone. 

"I'll give you the most beautiful pearl in all the world, " he said, butMary Louise only laughed and pointed to her torn sleeve:

"That won't mend my sleeve, King Crab. What right had you to tear it?"

"Oh, please take the pin out of my elbow, " begged the tearful CrabKing, so frightened that he couldn't tell whether it was his wrist orhis elbow that Mary Louise was pricking. "I'll give you two pearls. Oh, please pull out your pin. "

As soon as she had put away her breastpin, the Crab King started to digin the sand and pretty soon he brought up two lovely pearls. 

"But what am I to do with my torn sleeve?" asked Mary Louise, for shewas still angry with that disagreeable old crab. 

Without answering, the King of the Crabs crawled off into the tall seagrass and in a few minutes came back with a little package done up insea weed, and after he had unwrapped it, what do you suppose MaryLouise saw? Why, a beautiful pale sea green coat made of sea silk. Itwas very beautiful and looked just like the shimmery green of the waves. 

 "Here is a coat of the great Crab King, It's finer than silk or anything, For none but a merman has ever worn A coat so beautifully shimmery shorn, "

cried the King Crab, handing it to Mary Louise. Then he crawled away, for he wised to have the doctor see his wounded elbow, I imagine. 

Candy City

Just then a little bird began to sing:

 "In the valley, green and neat, I see the print of little feet, And way, way yonder in the glen I see a host of little men. "

"Dear me!" sighed Mary Louise. "I am too tired to walk any further. "

"Jump on my back!" cried a happy voice, and up trotted a little ponynamed Dapple Gray. 

"Oh, how nice, " laughed Mary Louise, and climbing up on the saddle, rode off on this pretty little pony, and pretty soon, not so very far, they came to the place where the little men were at work. And what doyou suppose they were doing. Why, you'd never guess if I gave youuntil the 4th of July. 

They were making maple sugar out of the sap from the maple trees. First they boiled the sap in great big pots and then put it away tocool in queer little dishes of various shapes, and when the sugarhardened it was in the forms of funny little fish, queer little houses, strange animals, and, goodness knows, what not. 

 "Oh, we are the Sugar Candy Men, And we work all day in the snow To make the maple sugar cakes To sell in the town below, "

sang one little man who wore a red peaked hat and long turned-uppointed shoes. 

But when little Mary Louise rode up, they all stopped their work andlooked at her, and the little man with the long turned up pointed shoespulled off his red peaked cap and asked:

"What brings you here, Mary Louise? Are you fond of maple sugar candy?"

"I know lots of little boys and girls who are, " answered Mary Louisewith a smile. 

"Well, hold open your pockets, " said the little man, and he stood up ona stump alongside Dapple Gray and filled her pockets to overflowing. Wasn't that nice of him?

"You're very generous, " said Mary Louise. "What can I do for you?"

"Go to yonder town and tell the dear old lady who keeps the 'GoodySweet Tooth-Shop' that we will bring her candy tomorrow morning justas--

 "The little red rooster From his home on the hill Sounds his merry cock-a-doo Like a whistle shrill. "

"All right, " answered Mary Louise, and off she went to the little towndown in the valley. 

Well, by and by, after a while, and many a mile, and a song and asmile, for Mary Louise felt very happy with all those nice candies inher pocket, she came to a bridge over a river, on the other side ofwhich nestled a little town among the trees. 

Now there was a toll keeper, a funny little old lady with a crutchunder her arm, at the entrance to the bridge. 

 "Give me a penny, Mary Louise, For that is the toll you must pay, If you would cross over the river to Dover, Dover, just over the way. "

sang the little old lady toll keeper. 

"Here is the penny, " laughed Mary Louise, leaning down from Dapple Grayand dropping it into the old lady's apron, which she help up in bothhands. 

"Pass on, little girl, " she said, opening the gate, and in a fewminutes Dapple Gray was clattering over the bridge. And pretty soon hedrew up before the Goody Sweet Tooth Shop. 

"I bring you good news from the little men of the glen, " cried MaryLouise to the little old woman who just then looked out of the door. 

"What is the news, dearie?" she asked, shading her eyes with herwithered hand. 

 "Tomorrow morning, just at dawn, When the little red rooster blows on his horn, The maple sugar candy hearts, Cute little cupids and candy darts, In a great big box will be laid at your door to give to the children who come to your store. "

said little Mary Louise. And how she ever could have spoken in poetryis more than I can tell, but perhaps the fairy maple sugar candy, whichshe had eaten on her way to town, had lent magic to her tongue. 

Then the little old woman made a curtsy, and Mary Louise continued onher way, and by and by, after a while, she came to a great big bearsitting on a stone by the roadside. On the ground by his side was abig bundle tied with a thick leather strap. 

Well, as soon as the bear saw Mary Louise, he took off his cap and said, "I wish I had a pony, Either brown or gray, So I could ride whate'er betide For many miles away. "

"Why, what's the matter?" asked little Mary Louise. 

"I have a splinter in my foot, " answered the bear. 

So Mary Louise dismounted and looked at the bear's foot, and when shefound the splinter, she said:

 "Now don't you cry, and don't you pout, And I will pull the splinter out. "

And would you believe it, in less than five hundred short seconds, sheheld the splinter under the bear's nose so he could see it, for thebear was very near sighted and couldn't even see the end of his toes. 

"Dear me, " sighed little Mary Louise, "I wish I were safe at home withMother, " she set out once more, and by and by she came to Candy Town. 

Now I guess many a little boy and girl wonders where all the Christmascandies come from, but they wouldn't if they had once seen PeppermintCity, all painted white with red stripes, just like a stick ofpeppermint candy. 

Each house was built of white candy with columns of peppermint stickssupporting the roof. On either side the door stood lovely peppermintstatues and striped pillars held up the little porches and big piazzas. 

The opera house was guarded by a candy lion, and a fountain in themiddle of the town spouted maple syrup. Rock candy crystal chandeliershung from the ceilings in the rich man's house and little peppermintcandlesticks made light for the workman's hut. Even the lamp posts onthe corners were peppermint sticks and so were the barber poles. 

"Goodness me, " said Mary Louise to herself, "I wonder what would happenif it rained. " But you see it never rained in Candy Country, which wasmighty lucky. 

"What do you wish?" asked a Chocolate Man, as she knocked on the CandyTown Gate. 

The next moment the gate swung open and out marched a regiment of LemonSoldiers dressed in Lemon Khaki Uniforms. 

"Oh, I'm just lost, " replied Mary Louise with a sigh. 

 "I'm a little traveler who goes For miles and miles upon her toes. But sometimes when I'm tired out I think I hear a kind of voice shout, 'Come, ride with me upon my Goose, ' And other times it is a Moose, And then again a steed with wings; Or maybe some kind stranger brings A ship that sails the ocean wide, And so instead of walk, I ride. "

"Well, well, your a little poetry maker, " said the Chocolate Man. "Nowyou are the very person to write pretty little verses on our roundpeppermint candies. " And then he held out his chocolate hand and drewtired Mary Louise inside the gate, after which he locked it with asilver key. 

"Come with me to our Candy Factory, " and he ran down the street, whichwas paved with little red brick candies, until he came to a big RockCandy Building. 

"Look here, " gasped Mary Louise, all out of breath with running, forthat Chocolate Man was the best athlete in all Peppermint City, "I saidI was lost. I'm not a poetry maker. I wouldn't make poetry foranything. I want to see things, not dream about them!"

"Dear me, " said the Chocolate Man, and he let go the lollypop doorhandle, "I'm sorry. I thought you'd like to stay here. "

"Don't feel badly about it, " said Mary Louise as he shook hands andsaid good-by. "I must find my way home. I've no time to lose. "

"Heigh ho, this is a big river, " she exclaimed a little later as shestood on the bank of a swiftly flowing stream. 

 "There isn't any bridge, how can you get across, There isn't any boat and you haven't any horse That could swim across this river with you upon its back, So I guess you'll have to turn about and go back upon your track, "

sang a cross voice. 

"She won't have to do anything of the sort, " answered a kind voice anda little white duck in a boat rowed up to the bank. 

"Come, jump aboard, " quacked Commodore Drake, for that was the name ofthis duck sailor. 

Mary Louise jumped in and away they went down the river to the deepblue sea. And after a while, maybe a mile, and perhaps a little more, they came to the restless ocean. 

"Now, " said the duck, with a wheezy, breezy quack, "I'll take you tothe Hotel Wave Crest. "

Presently they came to an island where a lovely coral building shonepinky bright in the rays of the sun. Right in front of it were twobell buoys who rang little bells to tell the man who owned the hotelthat somebody wanted a room with a fresh salt water bath. 

As soon as Commodore Drake had fastened the little boat to the wharf, he and Mary Louise walked up the steps and into Wave Crest Hotel. 

When the proprietor, a nice old Dolphin, saw Mary Louise's lovely seagreen coat, he at once asked where she had bought it. 

"The King of the Crabs gave it to me. "

"You don't tell me, " exclaimed the old Dolphin. "Do you know that coatis a magic one?"

"What can it do?" asked Mary Louise, even more surprised than you are. 

"Why, anybody who wears it can swim like a fish, " answered thegood-natured Dolphin. "It's better than a pair of water wings, " and heturned over three times and began to sing, "Oh, many a mile I've swum in the sea Like a hoop that rolls on the ground, Over and over and over again, Round and around and around, But I always come right side up at last, Out in the deep blue sea, You bet I can do the loop de loo High diddle diddledy dee. "

As he finished speaking, the good-natured Dolphin turned a somersault, and after that I guess he thought he'd done enough to amuse MaryLouise, and the little white sailor duck, so he went inside the hoteland stood at the desk behind the big register book. 

Just then a great whale came swimming by, blowing a stream of waterhigh in the air. Maybe a piece of seaweed had tickled his nose, forwhen a whale spouts he's really sneezing, I'm told. 

And after that a pretty Cat Fish began to purr, and I guess she wouldhave asked Mary Louise a lot of questions if all of a sudden a Dog Fishhadn't barked, which so frightened the pussy cat fish that she wentinto her room and locked the door, dropping the kin in her vanity bagwhich she hid under her pillow. 

"If you'll stay awhile, " said the old Dolphin, "I'll give you thefinest fish dinner you ever ate, "A whale fish steak, And some sea gull eggs, And a pint of sea cow's milk, Green sea weed sauce And water cress And oysters served on silk. "

But, would you believe it, little Mary Louise didn't feel hungry. Instead she asked the duck sailor to take her back to the boat and tosail away, over the ocean's misty spray, until they should come to theLand of Nod where sleep is sent by the Little Dream God. 

As soon as she and the little white duck reached this wonderful littleland, they became sleepy and their eyes winked and blinked and prettysoon they both lay down on the soft grass and went sound to sleep. Andthen the twinkle, twinkle star shone down with its pretty golden eyeand sang a sleepy lullaby, "Over the ocean cool and sweet Up to the sea grass's waving feet Blows the wind from the rainbow west Whispering low, 'It is time for rest. '"

Toy Land

Now, when Mary Louise and the little white sailor duck woke up in theland of Nod, they both rubbed their eyes to make sure who stood theredressed in pink pajamas and little starry crown. 

It was the little Dream God. In his hand he carried a silver wand, inthe handle of which was a little whistle which made a soft sound whenhe blew upon it. 

"Did you have a good sleep?" he asked, and with a laugh, he took offhis crown and sat down on the grass. And oh, what a sweet laugh itwas. Just like the tinkle of a far-away bell or the ripple of a littlebrook. 

Well, after a little talk, the big Dream Bird came out of his wickercage and said: "I'm going to take Mary Louise for a ride, " and away heflew, while the little white sailor duck went back to his boat andsailed away, too, over the ocean big and blue. 

"Where would you like to go?" asked the Dream Bird. "I'm the bird whobrings dreams to people. Dreams of doing great big wonderful things, you know. Not sleepy dreams. "

"Take me to some place that is different from anything I've ever seen, "answered Mary Louise. 

So the big Dream Bird scratched his head with his foot, but for a longtime he couldn't tell where to go. 

Well, anyway, by and by, not so very long, for the big Dream Bird keptflying on as he scratched his head with his foot, they came to Toy Landwhere all the toys of the world are made by little dwarfs and fairies. 

"Now I'll leave you, " said the big Dream Bird, and he flew away, leaving little Mary Louise in front of a pretty shop full of LittleJack Rabbits, and, would you believe it, there was a toy Puss in Boots, Junior, with red top boots and a hat with a gold feather and a sword. And the workman who made these toys was a funny little dwarf with agreen suit and a red cap and a long white beard. 

 "This is the land of wonderful toys That are made for good little girls and boys, Talking dolls and horses that run, Everything here is made for fun, But only good little girls and boys Can have our wonderful, beautiful toys. "

"Heigh ho, " said Mary Louise, "what next, I wonder, " and she looked ata toy regiment of wooden soldiers marching down the street. 

Just then an old hand organ began to play, "Oh, where are the songs of yesterday, And the songs we used to sing, When you and I in the days gone by Danced in the Fairy's Ring?"

And up ran a little monkey dressed in a red coat and cap. Mary Louisegave him a penny, to hand to the old man who had stopped to set anothertune to the organ. 

 "Over the hills and far away, I've tramped all my life till I am gray, And now with my organ and monkey clown I find myself in little Toy Town, "

sang the old organ grinder as he sat down to rest with the littlemonkey on his lap. 

"Are you very tired?" asked Mary Louise. 

"Pretty tired, " answered the old man. "All these years I've trampedand played, and now I find myself in a town where they make toys forchildren. But I see no children. Only playthings which I have no usefor, " and the old man sighed and patted the monkey and then he closedhis eyes and fell asleep. And I guess he was very, very tired. 

Then Mary Louise slipped away, out of Toy Town where the dwarfs and thefairies made all the toys in little workshops, only they had the shadespulled down so that nobody could see them, for they are queer littlepeople and don't like to be watched. 

"Oh, dear, " sighed Mary Louise, "I wish I were home. Mother will bedreadfully worried about me. 

 "Oh, if I had a Wishing Stone I know what I would do I'd wish for lots of lovely things, And give a lot to you. But, Oh, dear me. I've never known Where is this wonder Wishing Stone. "

"I know, " cried a little voice, and then, of course, Mary Louise lookedall around to see who had spoken, but she couldn't see anybody. 

"Who are you?" she asked, halting Dapple Gray on the edge of a bigforest. 

"Here I am, " cried the same little voice, and then, quick as a wink, atiny fairy jumped out from behind a bush. 

"Don't frighten my pony, " said Mary Louise, as Dapple Gray stood upstraight on his hind legs, "he isn't used to fairies. "

"No, indeed, " whinnied the pony, for that is the way a horse talks, youknow. "I've met lots of people in dear Old Mother Goose Land, butnever a fairy. "

"If you come into this forest you will meet many little people likeme, " answered the fairy. 

"Will they object if I travel through it?" asked little Mary Louiseanxiously. "You see, I'm on my way home. "

"You have my permission, " answered the fairy. "I'm queen of the ForestFays. But I thought you were looking for the Wishing Stone?"

"Maybe I was, " answered Mary Louise. "You see, I thought if I couldfind it, I'd wish I was home with my dear mother. "

"It is not very far from here, " said the little fairy. "Follow thispath through the trees and by and by you'll come to it. But let megive you some advice. Be sure before you make your wish to say, "Rose red, rose white, I will try to do what's right. "

"Thank you, I'll remember, " answered little Mary Louise, and she turnedDapple Gray down the path to the woody glen. 

Well, by and by, after a while, she saw a big white stone. It lookedvery like a rude stone chair, only of course, it didn't have any nicesoft cushion in it like the one my grandmother used. 

With a cry of joy little Mary Louise jumped from the saddle. "Now I'llmake my wish!" And she sat down in the big stone chair and closed hereyes. 

But, oh dear me. She had been in such a hurry that she forgot to saythe little fairy verse and when she opened her eyes, there she was inthe very same spot. 

And, oh, dear me! again. Instead of the Dapple Gray, a little graysquirrel stood in the very spot where the little pony had been. 

 "If you would have what you would wish You must obey each rule, No matter whether in your home Or in your Grammar School, "

sang a little yellow bird, as Mary Louise stared in amazement at thelittle gray squirrel. 

"Oh, dear me, " she sighed, "where is Dapple Gray?"

 "I was your little pony, And my name was Dapple Gray. But now I am a squirrel Because you did not say; 'Rose red, rose white, I will try to do what's right, '"

answered the little squirrel. 

And then Mary Louise remembered what the little fairy had told her tosay when she made the wish. Oh, dear me. How sad she felt! But itwas too late, and pretty soon the little squirrel ran away, and poorMary Louise was left alone in the big Wishing Stone chair. 

"Oh dear me, " she sighed again, "now what shall I do?" But nobodyanswered, not even the little yellow bird, so she jumped down andstarted off through the wood, and by and by, after a mile, but never asmile, she heard somebody laughing. And, oh my, it was a great big, tremendous hearty laugh. Why, it made all the leaves tremble and thedry twigs fall to the ground. And then, all of a sudden, a giantwalked by, carrying on his big finger the prettiest yellow bird youever saw. 

"Why bless my big leather belt, " he exclaimed, "it's little MaryLouise. "

"Oh, Mr. Giant, " said Mary Louise, "I've disobeyed the Fairy Queen andlost my pony Dapple Gray. "

"Bless my big hob-nailed club, " said Mr. Merry Laugh, for this was thegiant's name, "how did you come to do that?"

So Mary Louise told him how the Fairy Queen had directed her to theWishing Stone, but that she had forgotten to say when making her wish, "Rose red, rose white, I will try to do what's right. "

"Well, I'll give you another chance, " said the big kind giant. "Nowlet me see, " and he took off his big leather cap and scratched hishead, and then he whispered something to the little yellow bird, buthis whisper was so loud that of course Mary Louise heard it, for when agiant whispers it sounds like a man shouting, so I've been told. 

"Come with me, " said the giant after the little yellow bird had noddedher head, and pretty soon, not so very long, they came to his castle, where the giant made Mary Louise very comfortable in a little chairwhich had once belonged to his son. 

"Now you rest here while I go and get out my big Gold Book, " said Mr. Merry Laugh. 

 "Mr. Merry Laugh, the Giant, Has a big Gold Book, Bound with leather hinges And a big brass hook, "

sang the little yellow bird. 

"Now let me see, " said the good, kind giant, opening the book andturning over the pages with his great immense thumb. "Ah, here it is, "but before he began to read he took off his spectacles which were asbig as automobile lamps and wiped them carefully on his red silkhandkerchief which was bigger than a sail. 

 "Whoever disobeys the queen Can for his guilt atone By making a little whistle Out of a turkey's bone. "

"Ha, ha, ha!" roared the giant till the crystal chandelier tinkled likea million little bells and the portrait of his mother-in-law fell offthe wall with a dreadful crash, "I never heard anything so funnybefore, " and he picked up the portrait and laughed again, only thistime even louder, for his mother-in-law's picture was all smashed tosmithereens!

"Well, that's easy, " he said after wiping his eyes. "Tomorrow will beThanksgiving and you shall dine with me. And after dinner I'll giveyou a magic knife and if you can't make a whistle out of the drumstickbone, I'll have another portrait made of my mother-in-law. "

"That's very good of you, " said little Mary Louise. 

"Don't mention it, " replied the giant. "I have a book that oncebelonged to my boy when he was a little fellow. It's called theIceberg Express, and you look so like the little girl on the cover thatI'd almost believe you were she. "

"I am, I am, " shouted Mary Louise, jumping out of her chair. "Andthat's the reason I wanted to sit in the big Wishing Stone chair. I wasgoing to wish I was home with mother. "

"You don't say so, " exclaimed Mr. Merry Laugh. "Well, well, well. Ittakes me back to the time when my boy was a little fellow and sat on myknee to hear me read Little Journeys to Happyland. How time flies!"And the big kind giant took his pocket handkerchief out again to wipehis blue eyes, and after that he went over to the piano and sang:

 "If I had my little boy again How happy I should be, I'd piggy-back him all around And trundle him on my knee. 

 "But oh, dear me. It's so long ago, And he's been away so long, That all I can do is to wish and wish That he could hear this song. "

"Dear me, " said little Mary Louise, when the giant had finished. "Youwant your little boy and I want my mother. "

Well pretty soon when Mary Louise walked into the dining room she sawthe most wonderful turkey that ever graced a Thanksgiving table. Why, it weighed upty'leven pounds and was stuffed with a bushel of chestnuts. 

"Now eat slowly and tuck your napkin under your chin, " said Mr. MerryLaugh, "for we don't have Thanksgiving every day, although we ought tobe thankful every day, just the same. " And he stuck in the fork whichwas as big as a pitch-fork and began to carve with a knife that waseven larger than General Pershing's sword. 

Well, after a while, a mince pie was brought in, so large that it wouldhave taken Mary Louise thirteen minutes to walk around it if the gianthad placed it on the floor. But of course he didn't. No sireemam. Hefirst cut a little piece for her and then a great big tremendous piecefor himself, and would you believe he ate two pieces while she waseating one!

At last, when the dinner was over, and the giant had dried the wishbone on the steam heater till it was nice and dry, he handed littleMary Louise the magic knife and told her to make it into a whistle. Andwould you believe it if I didn't say so, in less than five hundredshort seconds she had carved out the prettiest little whistle you eversaw. 

"Now, little girl, " said Mr. Merry Laugh, "blow on it and make a wish. But don't make the same wish you did before. "

"Oh dear me, " sighed the little girl. "I only wish one thing, and thatis to be home with mother. "

"Get your pony back and I'll help you, " said Mr. Merry Laugh kindly. 

So Mary Louise blew on her whistle and made a wish, when, all of asudden, quicker than a wink, they heard a neigh in the courtyard, andlooking out of the window, saw Dapple Gray. 

"Here, take this little ring, " said the giant, "and if ever you are introuble, turn it around your finger three times and a half. "

Just then the little yellow bird began to sing:

 "'Tis a little golden ring, Such a tiny, pretty thing. But be careful lest you lose it, For you may have need to use it, It possesses such a charm It will keep you from all harm. "

"Good luck, " said Mr. Merry Laugh as he opened the castle door. "Good-by and good luck. Drop in the next time you're in town, anddon't forget Castle Merry Laugh, Forest City, U. S. A. "

"Thank you, " answered Mary Louise. 

Just then down flew the beautiful Dream Bird. 

"I'll take you home, " he said. "Climb up between my wings!"

Then away he went through the air so softly that maybe the little girlfell asleep, for when she woke up, there she was on the beach where shehad first met the little Mermaid Princess. 

"Oh, oh, " yawned Mary Louise, "am I really here?" But nobody answered, so she jumped to her feet and ran home to her mother. 

Well, well, have we come to the end of the story, you and I, littlereader? I'm sorry I've nothing more to tell you in this book, butlisten--lean over to me and listen--I've written another book for the"Little Journeys to Happyland" series--it is called "The Wind Wagon. "Isn't that a strange title? But I know you'll like it--yes, I'm sureyou will. 

So don't forget. It will be published next year. 

Yours for a story, David Cory.