But the dauntless Pilot still kept on his course, and showed no sign of weakening. Straight at the large reef, now very near, he dashed, and then, just as destruction seemed certain, he swerved to the right and disappeared from view in a mass of weeds that grew out from the rock. With one last desperate effort Sammy followed, the weeds closed behind him, and passing quickly through a small hole in the reef, he lay, quivering, exhausted, but safe on the other side. Furious at their disappointment the Sword Fishes rushed at the reef, striking it again and again with their sharp swords in a vain attempt to pierce, or batter down the rock. Then they swam wildly about looking for an entrance large enough for them to pass through, but none was to be found, for the high, circular reef shut in the lagoon where the two refugees lay, like a wall. At length, tired out with their exertions, the two Sword-Fish gave up the chase, and being in a very ill-temper, and having no one else to vent it on, they began to quarrel with each other. "It's all your fault anyway," snarled Slasher, the biggest and crossest fish. "How often have I told you to take my advice in these matters! We should have kept further under water, as I suggested in the first place, then we would not have been seen so soon. I've no patience with your stupidity!" "Stupid yourself!" snapped his brother Jabber. "You know as well as I do that it is much the best plan to keep on a straight line with the prey we are hunting. We can't half see if we are far above or below. If you hadn't splashed so loudly with your tail--" "I didn't splash with my tail," retorted Slasher angrily. "You did," insisted Jabber. "I say I didn't!" "I say you did!" * * * * * "Well, well," said grandma, as she paused to gather up her fancy work, "everybody knows that a family quarrel is the worst kind of quarrel. But in this case the dispute had a speedy ending, for the two brothers fiercely attacked each other, and right there and then they fought a terrible duel, which only ended with the death of both combatants, for each died pierced through the body with his brother's sword. "So perished the two dreaded sentinels of Coral-Land, and Sammy was at his journey's end." CHAPTER V IN CORAL-LAND Oh! do you know Where the sea-flowers blow, Down deep in the ocean's bed? Where the shy plants hide 'Neath the swelling tide, And the Anemone lifts its head? Where the Nautilus frail, To set his sail, Creeps forth from the silver sand? Then come with me, And you will see The wonders of Coral-Land. "So this is Coral-Land!" exclaimed Sammy, wonderingly. "What a beautiful place it is!"