Zog witnessed the destruction of his wolves and uttered a loud laugh that was terrible to hear.  Then the dread monster determined to arrest the fugitives himself, and in order to do this he was forced to discover himself in all the horror of his awful form, a form he was so ashamed of and loathed so greatly that he always strove to keep it concealed, even from his own view.  But it was important that his prisoners should not escape.  Hastily casting off the folds of the robe that enveloped him, Zog allowed his body to uncoil and shoot upward through the water in swift pursuit of his victims.  His cloven hoofs, upon which he usually walked, being now useless, were drawn up under him, while coil after coil of his eel-like body wriggled away like a serpent.  At his shoulders two broad, feathery wings expanded, and these enabled the monster to cleave his way through the water with terrific force.

Zog was part man, part beast, part fish, part fowl, and part reptile.  His undulating body was broad and thin and like the body of an eel.  It was as repulsive as one could well imagine, and no wonder Zog hated it and kept it covered with his robe.  Now, with his horned head and its glowing eyes thrust forward, wings flapping from his shoulders and his eely body—­ending in a fish’s tail—­wriggling far behind him, this strange and evil creature was a thing of terror even to the sea dwellers, who were accustomed to remarkable sights.

The mermaids, the sailor and the child, one after another looking back as they swam toward liberty and safety, saw the monster coming and shuddered with uncontrollable fear.  They were drawing nearer to the dome by this time, yet it was still some distance away.  The four redoubled their speed, darting through the water with the swiftness of skyrockets.  But fast as they swam, Zog swam faster, and the good queen’s heart began to throb as she realized she would be forced to fight her loathesome foe.

Presently Zog’s long body was circling around them like a whirlwind, lashing the water into foam and gradually drawing nearer and nearer to his victims.  His eyes were no longer glowing coals, they were balls of flame, and as he circled around them, he laughed aloud that horrible laugh which was far more terrifying than any cry of rage could be.  The queen struck out with her golden sword, but Zog wrapped a coil of his thin body around it and, wrestling it from her hand, crushed the weapon into a shapeless mass.  Then Aquareine waved her fairy wand, but in a flash the monster sent it flying away through the water.

Cap’n Bill now decided that they were lost.  He drew Trot closer to his side and placed one arm around her.  “I can’t save you, dear little mate,” he said sadly, “but we’ve lived a long time together, an’ now we’ll die together.  I knew, Trot, when first we sawr them mermaids, as we’d—­we’d—­”

“Never live to tell the tale,” said the child.  “But never mind, Cap’n Bill, we’ve done the best we could, and we’ve had a fine time.”