NATURE IN RETALIATION 173 



the force of the explosion, some stunned, some merely- 

 agitated. Dilly Boy, the biggest and the greediest of 

 the crowd, acquired several fish and three or four crabs, 

 the largest of the latter of which seemed sound asleep. 

 The dynamite had ministered an anodyne from which, 

 apparently, there would be no awakening. It the boy 

 disregarded, while he secured those which were more or 

 less active. Busily engaged, he was not aware that a 

 crab when he seems asleep may be merely plotting. 

 This hero was hatching out a scheme whereby it might 

 be revenged for the outrage. It watched and deliberated, 

 and as the boy sat down grabbed him with ponderous 

 and toothed pinchers on that part of the body which is 

 said to be most susceptible to insult. The boy rose. 

 Not half a plug of dynamite could have given more 

 hearty impulse, not all the clamour of a corroboree 

 equal his yell of surprise and anguish. He capered. 

 The crab, which had not speculated on the caper, and 

 to avert summary divorce, locked its claws, now 

 guaranteed to hold to death and beyond it — to destruc- 

 tion. Astounded — indeed, petrified — by the high antics 

 of the boy, none of the spectators could venture to his 

 aid. They were fully engaged with unrestrained and 

 joyful hysteria. The more the boy yelled and cavorted, 

 the more frantic the fun. Blood trickled down the 

 chocolate-coloured skin, but the vaKant crab held on. 

 It was there for a definite purpose. The hour and the 

 crab had arrived. Vengeance for centuries of wrongs 

 to the race and heroic self-sacrifice animated brain and 

 inspired the claw with the dynamics of ten; while the 

 afflicted victim imagined — he had no mirror to hold up 

 to Nature — that he was the sport of a lusty crocodile. 



Amidst his shrieks he commanded the ministration 

 of his wife. She ran to meet him with a waddy. True 

 to the limitations of her sex, though her intentions were 



