Bunny Brown and His Sister Sue | Page 6

of fish, though they have no scales. They live inside a shell that is dark green when the lobster is alive. But when he is cooked it turns a bright red.
Lobsters have two big claws, and a number of little ones, and with these claws they walk around, backward, on the bottom of the ocean or bay, and pick up things to eat. In some inland rivers and streams there are what are called crayfish, or crabs. They are very much like lobsters, only, of course, a lobster is much larger.
Mr. Brown came out of his office when the fish were being unloaded from the boat, into barrels of ice. He saw the big lobster and said he would buy it, to take home to cook for supper.
"We'll have a fine salad from him," said Bunny's father to the fisherman.
The lobster was still alive and the fisherman picked it up just back of the big, pinching claws, so he would not get nipped, and put the lobster in a basket for Mr. Brown to carry. Bunny and Sue leaned over, looking at the green shellfish, when a voice behind them asked:
"What is it?"
The children turned to see George Watson, a boy older than Bunny, who lived near him. George often played little tricks on Bunny and Sue.
"What is it?" he asked again. "A whale?"
"A big lobster," Bunny answered.
"I guess he could almost pinch your nose off in one of his claws," Sue said, not going too close to the basket.
"Pooh! I'm not afraid of him," George declared. "I'll let him pinch this stick," he went on, picking up one, and holding it out toward the lobster, which was slowly waving its "feelers" to and fro, and moving its big eyes, that looked like shoe buttons sticking out from its head.
"Better look out!" was Bunker's warning, seeing what George was doing. "He'll nip you!"
"I'm not afraid!" boasted George. "I can----"
And just then something happened. George got his finger too near the lobster's claw and was at once caught.
"Ouch!" cried George. "Oh dear! He's got me! Make him let go, Bunker! Oh, dear!"
Bunker did not stop to say: "I told you so!" He took out his big knife, and put the blade between the teeth of the lobster's claw, forcing it open so George could pull out his finger. Then, with a howl of pain and fright, the boy ran home. He was not much hurt, as a lobster can not shut his claws very tightly when out of water. Just as does a fish, a lobster soon dies when taken from the ocean.
"What's the matter?" cried Mr. Brown, running up when he heard George's cries. "Are you hurt, Bunny--Sue?"
"No, it was George," Bunker explained. "He thought he could fool the lobster, but the lobster fooled him."
"I guess I'd better take it home and have mother cook it," said the children's father, and home they started, Mr. Brown carrying the big lobster in the basket.
"Oh, what a fine large one!" Aunt Lu cried, when she saw it. "And what a fine salad it will make."
"May I have one of the claws--the big one?" begged Bunny.
"What for?" asked his mother.
"I want to put a string in it and tie it on my face, over my own nose," the little boy explained. "Then I'll look just like Mr. Punch, in Punch and Judy. May I have the claw?"
"I guess so," replied Mrs. Brown.
"And when you clean it out, and put it on your nose, I'll be Mrs. Judy," said Sue. "We'll have fun."
A lobster's claw, I might say, is filled with meat that is very good to eat. When the lobster is boiled and the meat picked out with a fork, the claw is hollow. It is shaped just like the nose of Mr. Punch, with a sort of hook on the end of it, where the claw curves downward. Bunny and Sue often played with empty lobster claws.
The children went out in the yard while Mrs. Brown cooked the lobster. Then, when it was cool, Aunt Lu helped pick out the meat which was to be mixed up into a salad.
"Is my big lobster claw ready now?" asked Bunny, coming up just before the supper bell was to ring.
"Yes, here it is," his aunt told him. "I cleaned it out nicely for you."
Bunny held it over his own nose and went toward the mirror to see how he would look.
"Oh, you're just exactly like Mr. Punch!" Sue cried, clapping her hands.
"Isn't he!" agreed Aunt Lu. And then she gave a sudden cry.
"Oh dear!" she gasped. "Oh dear! It's gone! I've lost it!"
"What?" asked Bunny.
"My ring! My beautiful diamond ring is lost!" And Aunt Lu's cheeks turned pale.
CHAPTER III
WANGO, THE MONKEY
Aunt Lu hurried over to the kitchen table, at which she had been helping