‘I want to see the President very much,’ answered Raphael hastily.
‘Follow me,’ said the sea horse. ‘I have the honor of being Equerry to the President.’ He started to swim away.
Raphael rose heavily, and, moving his arms in a swimming motion, followed his guide as rapidly as he could. They went up a steep ridge and came to a plateau covered with sea grass which moved with the ocean current like a field of wheat in the wind. As they hurried along, Raphael saw black shadows drift slowly back and forth, nosing the grass.
‘What are those, Mr. Sea Horse?’ he asked.
‘They are sharks, Mr. Raphael.’
‘Oh,’ said Raphael nervously, and looked about for a bush to hide in. The sea horse noticed this.
‘They won’t hurt you,’ he said, waiting for Raphael to catch up. ‘They are far too lazy.’
Raphael and the sea horse swam forward side by side. Now that he was more used to this strange method of walking, he found that he could travel quite easily.
‘I met Mrs. Cod,’ he said by way of conversation.
The sea horse laughed without changing his expression. ‘I suppose she was as cross as usual. She has come south for the winter and has been complaining of the heat and her family ever since. She belongs farther north, and not in these semi-tropical waters at all,’ the sea horse went on to explain, ‘and her family is really quite a trial. Of course they aren’t all hers. Most fish don’t ever see their children.’