Page 263 - Adventures in shadow-land

u If you would be so good/’ said the mermaid,
taking off her jeweled necklace and zone and hold­

ing them out to the witches, "w ill you tell me
where the professor’s grandson is, and whether he

cannot be induced to come home?’'
"A nd what’s your interest in him?” said the

Witch of the Sea, taking snuff and looking at her
sharply.
" I am his sister’s friend," said the mermaid,

steadily; “ otherwise it is not a matter of conse­

quence to me whether he spends his life in the
chase of a wooden image; but I am very fond of
the professor, and I think it a very sad thing that

he should be left alone in his old age.”
" Um ph!” said the Salem witch. "Just the

same, fish-tailed or two-legged, in the sea or out
of it. There's a girl in our town as like her as
two peas.”

“ Young lady,” said the Witch of the Sea, " I

haven’t had any hand in this matter**’ (But of
course I can't say this was true. I incline myself
to think she had had her finger in the pie.) " I

can't undo the spell— not now. If you want to