116 The Catskill Fairtes.

good purpose, whether I wish to or not,’ I reflected. The boat
was borne along by the current to an island in the middle of
the lake, where stood a single tree covered with scarlet blos-
soms of great beauty. Out I skipped to examine the strange
tree, and immediately my boat vanished. A winding staircase
of polished brass led around the trunk of the tree, and I climbed
it, as there seemed nothing else to do. When I gained the top,
one of the scarlet blossoms unfolded into a red-velvet arm-
chair; and I had no sooner seated myself in it than the whole
island began to sink slowly below the surface of the lake, car-
rying me down miles into the depths of the earth. When we
stopped, the scarlet blossom puffed me away with a breath of
wind like a feather, and I landed on my feet. Here was an-
other cave, only one altogether splendid, for the walls were
veined with rough gold ore, and a diamond chandelier sparkled
in the dome. Purple-velvet curtains, fringed with gold, shaded
the entrance, and two curious vases stood on each side. I was
greeted by an old magician, with a white beard, who had a
skull-cap on his head.

“«T own all this region, he said. ‘Have you come to join
in the Fairy Regatta, little man?

“*T suppose so, since I am here,’ I replied. ‘I can never win,
though, I fear.’

“*We shall see; and the magician led me away from the
cave down to the bank of a stream, where a multitude of little
boats were darting about, some fashioned like swans, others like
dolphins and crabs, guided by the Nixies’ tiny water-spirits.

“«The Nixies have an annual regatta at this spot, explained

the kind magician. ‘Their Queen is seated under a rose-leaf