Page 244 - Adventures in shadow-land

The merman followed the ship at a long distance.

He dared not go too near in the daytime for fear
of the harpoon that had been thrown at him once

or twice. Then it came into his head that the
lovely nymph was in some mysterious way held

captive by these human creatures. He swore to
deliver her if it cost Kim his life, for which he

cared only as it could serve his goddess, for that
she was a goddess he fully believed.

He swam in the wake of the ship, and it was
very seldom that he could come up and look his

idol in the face. The sailors kept a sharp look­
out for him. They thought he was some sort of

monster, the poor innocent-merman, and had har­
poons ready to throw at him whenever he showed
himself. But for all this he followed The Sea-

nymph across the Atlantic. He knew he was not

likely to meet any of his own people, for the mer-
folk avoid ships whenever they can, and do not
frequent the highway between the two continents.

One day, however, he was so possessed with a
desire for the sight of his love that, utterly reck-

less, he swam directly before the ship and stretched
out his arms to the wooden image. “ I am here 1