“THE WATER SPRITE!” Superman investigates a young woman for information relating to the existence of a mystical “water sprite”!

Superman: Young Nellie Thornley is about to draw some water from the well on the Thornley farm one night when she sees a hideous apparition in the water - a "water sprite". When Lois and Clark go out to investigate, they write off the story as the imaginings of an over-wrought woman. But when a second sighting of the sprite occurs, Lois and Clark are sent to Anniston to investigate. On the way, they meet the town's inhabitants fleeing, saying that the town's levee is about to break and cause a flood.

Clark changes to Superman and shores up the levee, but as he finishes the job he hears a cry for help from Lois, who is being attacked by the sprite. As Superman attends to a fire set by the sprite, the sprite himself escapes.

The following day, building contractor Darby is trying to convince Anniston's mayor that the levee is insufficient to protect the town and that a dam needs to be built. Lois and Clark are called in and they support Darby's story, although Clark thinks the levee break was sabotage. Eventually, the mayor agrees and Darby and his crew begin work on the dam.

As work progresses, the water sprite is sighted again, this time attempting to destroy some of the building work. Superman tackles him, but again the sprite provides a diversion and escapes. Later, as Superman is helping in the dam's construction, he sees Darby fall off part of the construction and plunge into the water hundreds of feet below. Although Superman dives in to rescue him, Darby emerges unharmed, as it turns out that he used to be an Olympic diving champion. However, while underwater, Superman notices that the foundations of the dam are starting to crumble, and discovers that substandard materials were used in the construction.

Superman deduces that the Darby is using his diving skills to play the part of the water sprite, and that the acts of sabotage on the levee were to convince the town to build the dam. Darby made a lot of money by using substandard materials to build the dam, and planned to blame the dam's collapse on the sprite so he wouldn't be implicated. However, Superman finally manages to capture the sprite and unmask him, revelaing Darby was the criminal.

Contents

1. The Water Sprite (Superman)
2. Mind Over Matter (Hayfoot Henry)
3. Around Clock with Armor
4. Room, Board, and Bullets (Congo Bill)
5. A Win for Packy
6. Magnet for Mobsters (Vigilante)
7. Facts and Fables (Zatara)