“I am not very familiar with English,” replied the sea-gull. “The other word rhymes better; but I am not prejudiced. What are you doing here, child?”
“Nothing!” replied Elsie. “If you please, did you ever marry a fish?”
Both the sea-gulls showed strong signs of disgust at this, and said,—
“We eat fish, but never marry them. Why do you ask?”
“Because the purple fish with the yellow tail said I must stay here all my life unless I would marry him. And he has taken away my green cart, so that I cannot get home.”
“As to that,” said the sea-gulls, “we can easily manage to get you home. Put your arms around our necks and hold on tight!”
So the sea-gulls flew away with Elsie, and brought her safely home. She kissed them and thanked them.
“What can I give you, dear sea-gulls,” she asked, “in return for your saving me from that horrid fish?”
“Could you give us your golden curls?” asked the sea-gulls. “We think they would become us, and they are a thing not often seen in our society.”
No, Elsie could not do that.