Then a big crab had come along and, catching hold of the chunk of meat
in one claw, had tried to swim away with it to eat it in some hole on
the bottom of the inlet.

But the string, to which the meat was tied, did not let him. Mun Bun
held on to the string and as he slowly pulled it up he caught sight of
the crab. As the little fellow had said, it was a big one, and one of
the claws was "winkin'" at him. By that Mun Bun meant the crab was
opening and closing his claw as one opens and closes an eye.

"Hold him under water, Mun Bun, or he'll let go and drop off," called
Daddy Bunker.

"I will," answered the golden-haired boy, and he leaned still farther
over the edge of the pier to make sure the crab was still holding to the
piece of meat.

"Be careful, Mun Bun!" shouted his father. "Be careful! Oh, there you
go!"

And there Mun Bun did go! Right off the pier he fell with a big splash
into Clam River. Under the water he went, but he soon came up again,
and, having held his breath, as his father had taught him to do whenever
his head went under water, Mun Bun, after a gasp or two, was able to
cry:

"Oh, Daddy, Daddy, don't let him get me! Don't let the crab pinch me!"

Daddy Bunker did not answer for a moment. He was too busy to talk, for
he dropped the long-handled crab net, ran down to the pier and, jumping