"Well, I'll let yo' take dis big iron kettle into de library. Yo' kin put de kettle on de fire, dar, an' boil dem."
Beth danced up and down for joy. "Oh, won't that be fun. Thank you, Maggie. You're a lovely Maggie."
"Dar ain't no hot watah, but I'll take dis cold watah in fur yo', an' it'll heat in no time."
Maggie carried the kettle, half-filled with water, and placed it securely, as she thought, on the big open wood-fire in the library. Then she left the children to their own devices, Fritz alone keeping them company. A watched kettle never boils, and the children did not have the patience to test the truth of this.
"I hate to wait for water to boil," said Beth.
Just then Harvey conceived a brilliant idea.
"Say, Beth, we'll put in the crabs before it begins to boil. Then we can play until they're done."
"And the cold water won't hurt them like hot, will it, Harvey?"
Without answering, he emptied the crabs into the kettle. Beth viewed them critically.
"There's the horrid old thing that bit me. I know him by his one claw."