172 ALONG THE FLORIDA REEF. 



passing, coming to a sudden end a hundred yards 

 from the beach, and giving place to a clear, 

 pearly, sandy bottom. 



" Give way with a will ! " said the doctor, 

 clapping his hands. The oars bent in the water 

 and, with a rush, the boat was sent high on 

 shore, where all speedily hauled her above high- 

 water mark. Long John took out the sails to 

 rig up a tent, while the boys followed with the 

 hamper and the frying-pan. As they came 

 ashore, innumerable bright-colored crabs were 

 seen to run up the beach and suddenly disap- 

 pear. 



" Spirit-crabs ! " cried Harry ; but it seemed 

 an inappropriate name for these singular, square- 

 bodied creatures, which were of the same color 

 as the surrounding sand, into which they burrow 

 quickly, sallying out by hundreds, when danger 

 is past, to feed on whatever is washed ashore. 



Tom had heard a story of some pirate's gold 

 being buried on East Key long ago, and his curi- 

 osity was roused. 



" I believe I'll take a look for that gold," he 

 said. 



