‘It comes off?’ Tim said. ‘Of course. We take our tails off whenever we want to walk on the shore and gather seaweed, or collect oysters. We have to be really careful not to lose our skin if we do come out on the shore, though, because then we could never go back into the sea.’ ‘So you could take off your tail now and give it to one of us, and we could swim just as well as you do?’ Ben was so excited he could barely speak. ‘I wouldn’t be giving it to you.’ Sechiel stared at him suspiciously. ‘No, no, just lending,’ Ben gabbled. ‘So we can help save your sister.’ ‘You’ve got to promise to give it back.’ ‘We will, I promise.’ ‘Swear on Neptune’s trident.’ ‘We all swear on Neptune’s trident that we will give you back your tail,’ the four cousins repeated, trying not to giggle. It sounded so odd. Sechiel glared round, and they all tried to look solemn. At last he said grudgingly, ‘Very well then, I’ll take it off.
