e dismembered claw, but, finally,
they succeeded. Poor Beth's finger was bitten to the bone. Harvey
really felt very sympathetic, but, boy-like, was somewhat bashful about
expressing it.

"Beth, does it hurt much?" was all he said.

"Pretty bad," she admitted, forcing back the tears. "Say, Harvey, were
there any other crabs?"

"I had time to look at only two of the lines, I got three crabs from
the two. There were two on one line, so with yours we have four. But
never mind the crabs; we must go up to the house and have your finger
dressed."

"No, we must first see if there are any other crabs. Here, tie my
handkerchief around my finger. I guess I can stand it awhile."

The handkerchief was tied about the sore finger, and then Beth watched
Harvey while he pulled up the lines. There were crabs on every one,
and on some of them there were two. Harvey would pull the crabs to the
surface of the water and then scoop the net under them. In moving the
crabs from the net to the basket, he held them by the hind legs,
because, in this position, a crab cannot reach around with its claws to
bite.

Altogether, the children caught about fifteen crabs, and they took them
up to the house with them. Arriving there, they found that Mrs.
Davenport had driven to town to bring home Mr. Davenport and Marian.

Beth therefore went to Maggie about the finger, and Harvey accompanied
her. Maggie proved very sympathetic.

"Yo' precious little honey, yo'. Dat finger jes' am awful, but I knows
what'll cure it in no time. Here, yo', Gustus, yo' run and fetch me
some tar. Hurry, yo' lazy niggah yo'. Dar, dar, honey chile, it'll be
all right in no time. Tar am jes' fine for a sore."

For a wonder, Gustus did hurry and was back in no time with the tar.
Maggie dressed the wound with it very gently and Beth began to feel
easier immediately.

"Now, honey, it'll be all right. If yo'd only known, and jes' held
yo'r finger with dat crab out over the watah, it 'd have seen its
shadah and gone aftah it."

"Here, Beth," Harvey now said, "you can have all of the crabs; I guess
I'd better go."

"Please don't go, Harvey; I want you to stay. Say, Harvey, are crabs
good to eat?"

"Of course, they are. You just put them in water and boil them and
they are dandy."

"Oh, how I wish we could boil them. Wouldn't papa be surprised?
Maggie, can't we boil them?" and Beth seized the cook's hand and held
it, pressing it coaxingly.

"La