ving reached
the ground, they would separate and commence to build the pyramid
over again. Others were chasing one another around in a circle,
always moving backward or sidewise, and trying to play "leapfrog" as
they went. Still others were swinging on slight branches of seaweed
or turning cartwheels or indulging in similar antics.

Merla and the earth people watched the busy little creatures for
some time before they were themselves observed, but finally Trot
gave a laugh when one crab fell on its back and began frantically
waving its legs to get right-side-up again. At the sound of her
laughter they all stopped their play and came toward the visitors in
a flock, looking up at them with their bright eyes in a most comical
way.

"Welcome home!" cried one as he turned a back somersault and knocked
another crab over.

"What's the difference between a mermaid and a tadpole?" asked
another in a loud voice, and without a pause continued, "Why, one
drops its tail and the other holds onto it. Ha, ha! Ho, ho! Hee,
hee!"

"These," said Merla, "are the clown crabs. They are very silly
things, as you may already have discovered, but for a short time
they are rather amusing. One tires of them very soon."

"They're funny," said Trot, laughing again. "It's almost as good as
a circus. I don't think they would make me tired, but then I'm not a
mermaid."

The clown crabs had now formed a row in front of them. "Mr.
Johnsing," asked one, "why is a mermaid like an automobile?"

"I don't know, Tommy Blimken," answered a big crab in the middle of
the row. "WHY do you think a mermaid is like an automobile?"

"Because they both get tired," said Tommy Blimken. Then all the
crabs laughed, and Tommy seemed to laugh louder than the rest.

"How do the crabs in the sea know anything 'bout automobiles?" asked
Trot.

"Why, Tommy Blimken and Harry Hustle were both captured once by
humans and put in an aquarium," answered the mermaid. "But one day
they climbed out and escaped, finally making their way back to the
sea and home again. So they are quite traveled, you see, and great
favorites among the crabs. While they were on land they saw a great
many curious things, and so I suppose they saw automobiles."

"We did, we did!" cried Harry Hustle, an awkward crab with one big
claw and one little one. "And we saw earth people with legs, awfully
funny they were; and animals called horses, with legs; and other
creatures with legs; and the peopl