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The Captive "All right, Mummy. Now, Bear—don't be a young rotter. What's the news?"

"You're hurting my ear," was all Bernard's rejoinder.

"All right," said Francis, "we've got some news too. But we won't tell, will we, Mavis?"

"Oh don't," said Kathleen, "don't let's be sneaky, the very first day too. It's only that they've caught the Mermaid, and I'm afraid she'll die in captivity, like you said. What's yours?"

Francis had released Bernard's ear and now he turned to Mavis.

"So that's it," he said slowly—"who's got her?"

"The circus people. What's your news?" asked Kathleen eagerly.

"After brek," said Francis. "Yes, Mother, half a sec! I apologize about the ear, Bernard. We will tell you all. Oh, it's quite different from what you think. We meet and discuss the situation in the mill the minute we're free from brek. Agreed? Right! Yes, Mother, coming!"

"Then there must," Mavis whispered to Francis, "be two Mermaids. They can't both be Sabrina . . . then which . . . ?"

"We've got to save one of them anyhow," Francis answered with the light of big adventure in his eye, "they die in captivity." 29