Watching the Brant Grow Big. 67 



chances immediately against the clam in 

 favor of the one who ought to have him. 

 It will not do to be greedy and pull too 

 quickly, for nature has decreed that in 

 such case the microbes are to have the 

 plump separated foot, while man is to con- 

 tent himself with the pretty shell contain- 

 ing only liver and gills and other organic 

 bric-a-brac. It does not take long to 

 gather a handful of razor clams, but that 

 is not enough, and I cannot lay them down 

 while gathering more because they would 

 walk off and poke themselves endwise into 

 the sand while I was looking the other 

 way. It makes one feel like a cannibal to 

 eat such lively animals, but if men are 

 half as sweet as razor clams, we must be 

 cautious about criticising the habits of the 

 Sandwich Islanders of the old school. I 

 cannot lay this handful down, so my cap 

 must answer for a basket. A fine panful 

 of razors we finally have on the deck of 

 the sloop. Capt. Jack sets up serried 

 ranks of them in the dripping-pan and puts 

 small pieces of bacon in odd nooks and 

 corners. When they are done a delicious 



