After floating some moments, the bird began to sink, and the terrified children tried to fly away, but found that their wings had gone!
The sea-maidens swam round and round them, and one, bolder than the rest, reached out of the water and tried to grasp hold of one of Coppertop’s plaits, but Tibbs rushed bravely forward and thrust his sister behind him.
“Look! Look at her face!” screamed Coppertop. “It’s exactly like Mrs. Grudge!”
“’Es, so it is! With all her teeth—sharp ones!” cried Kiddiwee.
And now a very strange thing happened.
As the poor Albatross lay stretched upon the ocean, slowly sinking, from the four corners of his body arose four carved posts, and his back became a large feather mattress!
The Four-Posted Bed at Sea.
Before Coppertop, Tibbs or Kiddiwee could recover from their astonishment, the Albatross turned into the old four-posted Bed!
“That’s the second time you’ve saved us!” cried Coppertop, clapping her hands with joy. “When we get home, I’ll buy you a real golden counterpane, and you shall live in a crystal case, and never be slept on unless you wish.”