“I wonder, Trot, if your ma has missed us,” he remarked uneasily.

“Of course not,” replied the girl.  “She’s been sound asleep, you know.”

As the boat crept out into the bright sunlight, they were both silent, but each sighed with pleasure at beholding their own everyday world again.

Finally Trot said softly, “The land’s the best, Cap’n.”

“It is, mate, for livin’ on,” he answered.

“But I’m glad to have seen the mermaids,” she added..

“Well, so’m I, Trot,” he agreed.  “But I wouldn’t ‘a’ believed any mortal could ever ‘a’ seen ’em an’—­an’—­”

Trot laughed merrily.

“An’ lived to tell the tale!” she cried, her eyes dancing with mischief.  “Oh, Cap’n Bill, how little we mortals know!”

“True enough, mate,” he replied, “but we’re a-learnin’ something ev’ry day.”

The end