Page 266 - Adventures in shadow-land
P. 266

CH APTER  V,

                                                      THE  SEA-NYMPHS,


                                              FTER  his  friend  had  left  him,  our  mer­
                                               man  swam  once  more  after  The  Sea-

                                               nymph.      He  felt  wicked,  ashamed,  re-
                                    morseful  and  very  miserable,  hut  for  all  that  he

                                    followed  his  wooden  goddess.         He  was  so  worn
                                    out  with  his  long  journeying  and  with  trouble  of

                                    mind  that  he  could  not  keep up  with  the  ship— he
                                   who  had  once  beaten  a  fin-back  whale  in  a  race.

                                    He  had  lost  sight of  the  brig  before  she  went  into
                                   the  harbor  of  Syracuse,  but  he  knew  where  she

                                   was  going,  and  he  followed  in  her  track.  It  was
                                   a  beautiful  moonlight  night.       The  water  was  ail

                                   golden  ripples.      The  ruins  of  the  ancient  town
                                   stood  up  white,  still  and  solemn  in  the  flood  of
                                   silver  light.   The  modern  city  did  not  look  dirty

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