There were several other lobsters and one or two crabs sitting there, looking anxious and disturbed. And I soon found out that they had need to feel so, for there was no exit. That means “way out” in plain words.
Our basket was joined to a strong rope, and that was attached to a cork floating on the top of the water.
Not long after I had fallen into this basket, which I now know was a lobster-trap, a boat rowed out from the shore, stopped just above us, and then we were lifted up, up, right out of the water, and placed in the boat.
The next thing was a good deal of pushing and knocking about, and then some one tossed me carelessly out on the beach, saying roughly, “Too small for any use.”
But some one else thought differently. Another hand touched me, and another voice said, “Just the thing for my aquarium.”
THE LITTLE CAPTIVE.
What that meant I could not even guess; but it turned out to be the tiniest sea in the world. Steady old limpets, red anemones, hermit crabs, and shrimps were all there.
It was a very nice home, with plenty of good food, the only drawback being want of space.
And now the event happened that I promised to tell you about.