heavily, loaded high with horny oysters, and Ez pointed out the
rake-set iron nets with which the shellfish were dragged from
their beds. "Got 'em out of bed good and early!"

"I'd hate to have to eat 'em all," Jimmie said suddenly in his
husky little voice.

Everyone laughed, for the big rough shells were traveling into
the oyster-house by thousands, on moving belts. Some shells
looked as if they were carrying sponges in their mouths, but Ez
said it was a kind of moss that grew there. Already the pile of
unopened oysters in the shed was higher than a man. The shuckers
needed a million to work on next day, Ez said.


[Illustration: Watching the dredges]


When the children had watched awhile, and the boatmen had asked
their names, and how old they were and where they came from, Ez
took them inside the shed to show them the handling of the newly
shucked oysters. First the oysters were dumped into something
that looked like Mrs. Albi's electric washer, and washed and
washed. Then they were emptied into a flume, a narrow trough
along which they were swept into bright cans that held almost a
gallon each. The cans were stored in ice-packed barrels, and
early next morning would go out in trains and trucks to all parts
of the country.

"How many pearls have they found in all these oysters?" Dick