When he heard this, the old sea-gentleman folded his arms and looked very grave. "Mahbracca is at the bottom of this," said he. "The Prime Minister would never have thought of imprisoning the Princess, if that wretched sorceress had not put it into his head. I have no doubt that she now has the Princess in her power, and very likely shut up in her retreat." "What!" cried the Prince, "where is it? Where is her cave? I will go instantly and rescue my beloved Princess!" and he drew his sword of adamant and waved it over his head. "Ah my friend!" said the old man of the water, "you could do little against the powerful Mahbracca and her minions. But you might go there to be sure, and find out if she really has possession of the Princess. But then you may lose your life." "I care not!" cried the Prince. "Dead or alive, I will be with my Princess." The two citizens of the ocean talked together a few moments, and then the old man asked him if he was really determined to undertake this perilous enterprise, and the Prince emphatically declared that he was. "The distance by the sea is much the shortest; would you be willing to go in that way?" asked the old man. "Certainly," said the Prince, "provided I have to go over, and not under the water." The old gentleman made no reply to this, but putting his two forefingers in his mouth he whistled loudly. In a few moments a sea-boy came up out of the water, and stood beside him. The old man made a few remarks to him in the ocean dialect, when the boy jumped off the rock and disappeared beneath the waves. "Now, sir," said the sea-gentleman to the Prince, "you must cheer up and be lively, or you cannot hope to succeed in this matter. My boy will take you to the sea-side entrance of the cave of Mahbracca. There I hope you will have no difficulty in entering, but I can say nothing positive upon the subject." At this moment the sea-boy reappeared, driving a pair of dolphins, which were harnessed to a large and commodious sea-shell, somewhat resembling in shape the boat of the nautilus. When the equipage was drawn up at the foot of the rock, the Prince took leave of his friends, and quickly stepped in and took his seat. "I wish you all success," said the elderly personage, and, reminding the boy to be sure to keep their heads up, he walked down into the sea.