Page:Fairview Boys at Lighthouse Cove.djvu/77

Rh "And when you do get to the bottom, it will fall out, just as it always does, and you'll have all your trouble for nothing," said Frank, with a laugh.

"Will I? Well, I'll see," answered Sammy, confidently. "I'm sure that man is trying to hide something."

"I thought he was trying to find something, from what you said at first—the pirates' gold!" laughed Bob.

"Oh, you know what I mean," returned Sammy. "Quit your fooling!"

They rowed on in silence for a few minutes, and suddenly Frank, who was in the stern, gave a loud yell.

"What's the matter?" asked Bob. "See a shark?"

"No, but a crab's got my toe! Look out! They're getting out of the basket!"

He jumped up on the stern seat, holding out one bare foot—to the big toe of which a large crab was clinging with his strong claw.

"Take him off!" cried Frank, dancing about.

"Take him off yourself!" exclaimed Sammy. "Think we want to get nipped?"

"Look out! You'll upset the boat!" cautioned Bob. "Keep still; can't you?"

"No, I can't, and I guess you couldn't, either, with a big blue-claw crab nipping you!" cried Frank. "Ouch! Get him off; can't you!"

He was trying to do this for himself, but the crab, that was one of the biggest caught, had one claw free, and every time Frank reached out his hand to grasp the creature, and pull it from his toe, the crab would open his other claw, and wave it around threateningly. So Frank was a bit cautious about taking hold of the creature.

"Look out! The others are getting out!" cried Sammy, as he glanced at the basket of crabs.