“They look exactly like crabs,” said Roy, “only they are green instead of red.”
The purser burst into a roar of laughter, and over his head Roy heard suppressed titterings. He looked up and saw several of the stewards, including Sam, watching them.
“Forgive me, old fellow,” said the purser after a moment, wiping his eyes with his handkerchief. “I just couldn’t help laughing. They are crabs, all right enough. Those you are evidently familiar with have been boiled. These will be red, too, when they are cooked. Boiling changes their color.”
Roy laughed heartily at his own mistake. “I don’t wonder they turn red when they’re boiled,” he said. “I believe I should, too. And I don’t wonder you laughed at me.”
“I’m heartily ashamed of myself,” said the purser, now sober enough, “but I just couldn’t help it.”
“Don’t you worry about that,” smiled Roy. “I should have laughed harder than you did if I had been in your place.”
“Good for you, Roy,” rejoined the purser. “Anybody who can laugh at a joke when it’s on himself, will get along all right.”
In a short time they had caught a fine mess of crabs and the creatures were crawling all over the bottom of the boat. Roy tried to pick one of them up, but the crab nipped his fingers with its claws until the blood came.
“Gee whiz!” exclaimed Roy. “They sure can pinch.”
“Let me show you how to handle them,” suggested the purser. And selecting the largest and fiercest looking crab in the boat, he deftly caught it from behind and picked it up. The creature tried in vain to pinch the purser’s fingers but could not reach them. Imitating the purser, Roy safely picked up a crab and soon was holding one aloft in each hand.