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on land they saw a great many curious things, and so I suppose they saw

automobiles."

We did, we did!" cried Harry Hustle, an awkward crab with one big claw and one

little one. "And we saw earth people with legs, awfully funny they were; and

animals called horses, with legs; and other creatures with legs; and the people

cover themselves with the queerest things--they even wear feathers and flowers

on their heads, and--"

"Oh, we know all about that," said Trot. "We live on the earth ourselves."

"Well, you're lucky to get off from it and into the good water," said the Crab. "I

nearly died on the earth; it was so stupid, dry and airy. But the circus was great.

They held the performance right in front of the aquarium where we lived, and

Tommy and I learned all the tricks of the tumblers. Hi! Come on, fellows, and

show the earth people what you can do!"

At this the crabs began performing their antics again, but they did the same

things over and over, so Cap'n Bill and Trot soon tired, as Merla said they would,

and decided they had seen enough of the crab circus. So they proceeded to swim

farther up the rocky canyon, and near its upper end they came to a lot of conch

shells lying upon the sandy bottom. A funny-looking crab was sticking his head

out from each of these shells.

These are the hermit crabs," said one of the mermaids. "They steal these shells

and live in them so no enemies can attack them."

Don't they get lonesome?" asked Trot.

Perhaps so, my dear. But they do not seem to mind being lonesome. They are

great cowards, and think if they can but protect their lives there is nothing else to

care for. Unlike the jolly crabs we have just left, the hermits are cross and

unsociable."

"Oh, keep quiet and go away!" said one of the hermit crabs in a grumpy voice. "No

one wants mermaids around here." Then every crab withdrew its head into its

shell, and our friends saw them no more.

"They're not very polite," observed Trot, following the mermaid as Merla swam

upward into the middle water.

"I know now why cross people are called 'crabbed,'" said Cap'n Bill. "They've got

dispositions jes' like these 'ere hermit crabs."

The Sea Fairies