File:The sea fairies (1911) (14750947264).jpg

Identifier: seafairies00baum (find matches)
Title: The sea fairies
Year: 1911 (1910s)
Authors: Baum, L. Frank (Lyman Frank), 1856-1919 Neill, John R. (John Rea), ill
Subjects:
Publisher: Chicago : Reilly & Britton
Contributing Library: New York Public Library
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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must get back to work."
" What work do you do?" Capn Bill asked.
" I sew buttons on Zog's clothes. Every time he gets mad
he busts his buttons off, an I have to sew em on again. As
he's mad most o' the time, it keeps me busy."
" I 'll see you again, won't I, Joe?" said Cap'n Bill.
" No reason why you should n't—if you manage to keep
alive," said Capn Joe. "But you must n't forget, Bill, that
Zog has his grip on you, an' I 've never known anything to
escape him yet."
Saying this the old sailor began to stump toward the door,
but tripped his foot against his wooden leg and gave a swift
dive forward. He would have fallen flat had he not grabbed
the drapery at the doorway, and saved himself by holding
fast to it with both hands. Even then he rolled and twisted
so awkwardly before he could get upon his legs that Trot had
to laugh outright at his antics.
"This hickry leg," said Capn Joe, "is so blamed light
that it always wants to float. Agga-Groo, the goldworker,
has promised me a gold leg, that will stay down; but he never

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Text Appearing After Image:

'The Sea Fairies

has time to make it. You 're mighty lucky, Bill, to have a
merman's tail, instead o" legs."
" I guess I am, Joe," replied Bill; for in such a wet coun-
try the fishes have the best of it. But I aint sure I d like this
sort o thing always."
"Think 'o the money you 'd make in a side show," said
Cap'n Joe, with his funny chuckling laugh. Then he pounded
his wooden leg against the hard floor, and managed to hobble
from the room without more accidents.
When he had gone, Trot said:
"Are n't you glad to find your brother again, Cap'n Bill?"
" Why, so-so," replied the sailor. "I don't know mucha
bout Joe, seein' as we have n't met before for many a long
year; an all I remember about our boyhood days is that we fit
an' pulled hair most o' the time. But what worries me most is
Joes lookin' so much like me myself—wooden leg an' all."
"Don't you think it's rather cheeky an unbrotherly, Trot?"
"Perhaps he can't help it," suggested the child. "And,
anyhow, he 'll never be able to live on land again."
"No, "said Cap'n Bill, with a with a sigh, "Joe 's a fish, now, an'
so he ain't likely to be took for me by any of our friends on
the earth."

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