WITH FISH-LINES AND NETS. 1 03 



the basket, and the crabs were coming forth in 

 a solemn procession ; by the looks of the bas- 

 ket, at least twenty must have gone some- 

 where. My friend jammed a heavy shawl into 

 the basket over what remained, and awaited 

 developments in fear and trembling. They 

 were not long in coming. A shriek from a 

 lady at the other end of the car announced 

 that one crab had made his presence felt. All 

 was excitement in a moment. " She 's got 

 heart disease," said one old gentleman ; " stop 

 the train and get a doctor." " Catch it, catch 

 it, it 's under my seat, it 's bitten my foot ! " 

 cried the poor woman. My friend had to do 

 something. " Ladies and gentlemen," he 

 shouted, " it 's all right. A few little crabs 

 that I had in a basket have escaped that 's 

 all." That was all, was it? Every woman in 

 the car jumped shrieking upon the seats, and 

 quiet was restored only when the last crab had 

 been kicked off the rear platform by the brake- 

 man. 



If taken properly, the crab is the most harm- 

 less of dangerous beasts. Bear in mind that if 

 you take a crab firmly where the hind legs joins 

 his body, he cannot get at you with his nip- 



