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“‘Good times to you among your west country people,’ said the mermaid. ‘Tell any of them that would like to come down to visit us, that they must come here midway between the high and low watermark, when the tide is going out at morning or evening. Call thrice on the sea-people, and we will show them the way.’

“Before they could make answer she had sunk down from their sight, and there was no track or passage there, but all was covered by the loose sand and sea-shells.

“‘Now,’ said the lady to Civil, ‘we have seen the heavens once more, and we will not go back. Cast in the merman’s present quickly before the sun rises;’ and taking the bag of pearls and diamonds, she flung it as far as she could into the sea.

“Civil never was so unwilling to part with anything as that bag, but he thought it better to follow a good example, and tossed his into the sea also. They thought they heard a long moan come up from the waters; but Civil saw his mother’s chimney beginning to smoke, and with the fair lady in her sea-green gown he hastened to the good dame’s cottage.

“The whole village were woke up that morning with cries of ‘Welcome back, my son!’ ‘Welcome