Part 3 (1/2)
”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.