"I don't see why I should do all the work." I went into the dripping grotto nothing loth, and by careful search among the wet weed I found first one prawn and then another, till I had thrown out six, the work being tolerably easy, for the little horny-coated fellows made known their presence by their movements, flipping their tails sharply and making a noise that betrayed their hiding-places.
The grotto-like place, shut in by some rocks overshadowed by others, was so gloomy that it was hard to make out everything, but twice over I noted a bit of a rift on my left all fringed with sea-weed and slippery with anemones, where it was not rough with limpets and barnacles.
"Was it down here, Bob, down on the left, that you found the conger ?" "No," he shouted, "on the right." I looked round, and found the crack where the conger must have been, and then came a summons from without.
"Well, can't you find any more ?" "No," I said; "but there's a big hole here.

Perhaps there's another conger." "Put your hand in and pull him out, then," cried Bob with a sneer.
I did not answer, for I felt now very plainly how much easier it is to give orders than to obey them.

But a little consideration taught me that there was nothing to fear, for if there was a conger in the hole the chances were that he would have thrust his head into the farthest corner, and that it would be his tail that I should touch.
"Now, then," cried Bob.

"Ar'n't you going to find any more prawns ?" "I don't know," I said, as I carefully introduced my hand and arm, going down on one knee so as to get closer, and so by degrees hand, arm, and shoulder had nearly disappeared, as I touched the far end of the cleft.
"Nothing," I said to myself, as I felt about with my cheek touching the wet slippery sea-weed.

Then I uttered a loud "Ugh!" and started away.
"What's the matter ?" cried my companions.
"I don't know," I cried.