“Let’s take him up to the house on the line.  I want to show him to mamma,” cried Beth.

“All right, but first we’ll fix some lines for crabs.”

“What are crabs?”

“My, don’t you know?  Well, we’ll catch some when we come back and then you’ll see.”

He took some lines without hooks and tied raw beef on the ends of them. 
Then he threw them into the water.

Beth, as proud as if she had caught a tarpon, took up her line with the eel on it, and away marched the children to the house.

“Mamma, just see what I caught.”

“Well, I declare,” cried Mrs. Davenport at sight of the eel.  “Did you really catch that all by yourself, child?”

“Yes, mamma, except that Harvey had to help me pull it in, or else the eel would have pulled me into the water.  It tugged awfully hard, but I wouldn’t let go.  Mamma, this is Harvey and we’re just having heaps of fun.”  She had forgotten, already, that a few minutes before she thought she was having a very stupid time.

Harvey raised his cap.  Mrs. Davenport liked the boy’s appearance.

“Mamma, you keep the eel to show papa.  Harvey and I are going back to catch crabs.  Come on, Harvey.”

Mrs. Davenport detained them a moment.  “Harvey, you’ll take good care of my little girl, won’t you?”

“Yes, ma’am,” and back the children scampered to the wharf.

“You see if there is anything on this line, Beth, while I go around to the other lines.  If there is, call me, and I’ll come with the net, and help you land him.”

Away went Harvey.  Beth began pulling in the line.  There, hanging on the meat with two awful claws, was a great big greenish crab.  His eyes bulged out, and altogether he looked so fierce that Beth was somewhat frightened at him, but she wished to surprise Harvey.  Therefore she overcame her fear, and continued pulling up the line.  For a wonder, the crab hung on all the way from the water to the wharf.  Beth was delighted to think she had caught something without Harvey’s aid.  Mr. Crab, however, as soon as he felt himself trapped, let go of the meat, and began crawling towards the side of the wharf.  Beth saw her prize vanishing, and made a dive for it.  Up went the crab’s claws, and caught the child by the fingers.  A scream immediately rent the air.

Harvey came running to find the cause of the commotion.  He had to laugh, notwithstanding tears were streaming down Beth’s face.  She looked so ludicrous, dancing up and down with that awful crab hanging on like grim death.

“‘Beware of the Jabberwock that bites, my child,’” quoted Harvey.

Beth stopped screaming an instant.  “I thought it was a crab.”

“So it is.  I was just repeating a line from Alice in Wonderland.”

While Harvey spoke, he was trying to loosen the crab.  The harder he pulled, the more angry it grew, and the harder it bit.  Finally, he pulled so desperately that the crab came, but a claw was left hanging to poor Beth’s finger.