in securing
the prize, the good lady adding, as Nellie scampered after him, she
contenting herself with remaining higher up on the shore: "Take care, my
dearie! I don't want to have you laid up, with your father and mother
coming down in a few days, when I want you to look your best."

"Never fear, I'll take care of her and myself too!" sang out the
Captain, who by this time, hopping from rock to rock, in which operation
he was closely followed and imitated by the giggling Nellie behind him,
had reached the boulder where Bob was. "Keep close to me, missy."

"Don't touch it for a little while, my boy, I want your sister to see it
expanded, and it will close up if you go poking it about. Look, Miss
Nell!" he continued, pointing it out to her with the end of his malacca
cane, "The sun is just shining on it through the water, and you can sea
its colours of pink, purple, and orange. This is one of the actinea, or
`anthozoa,' so-called from two Greek words meaning `living flowers.' A
pretty name, missy, isn't it?"

"Yes," said Nellie. "It reminds me of a fairy tale aunt Polly told me
of the different flowers in the garden having a party and talking
together."

"Precisely, my dear; only the anthozoa can't talk!"

"But, oh, how pretty this sea-anemone is!" cried she in ecstasies, not
noticing his little bit of satire. "It is wonderful!"

"It is, my dear," replied the Captain; "although it's one of the
commonest forms of the actinea family. As Bob said just now, it is very
like a chrysanthemum; and, if anything, more beautiful, which you can
see for yourself before we try to shift its lodging. It is called by a
fearfully long scientific name, which to my mind does a positive injury
to the poor beast. What do you think of such a jaw-breaker as
`mesembryanthemum,' eh?"

"Oh!" ejaculated Nell, "what an awful word! I'm sure I shall never be
able to remember it."

"You must, missy, if you want to describe properly the inmates of your
aquarium, where this gentleman is now going to make a move for. Now,
Bob," went on the Captain, turning round to the boys, who were anxiously
waiting, all eagerness to commence proceedings, "put that knife of
yours, that you have been brandishing all this time, carefully under the
base of the poor beggar, and try to peel him off, as I see the rock is
too smooth for us to break away. Mind you don't touch the animal with
the sharp point, though; for the slightest scratch will kill him