And she crawled all over the pot to get in . Tom was horribly frightened , and still more frightened when she found the hole in the top , and squeezed herself right down through it , all eyes and teeth . But no sooner was her head inside than valiant Mr. Lobster caught her by the nose and held on . And there they were all three in the pot , rolling over and over , and very tight packing it was . And the lobster tore at the otter , and the otter tore at the lobster , and both squeezed and thumped poor Tom till he had no breath left in his body ; and I do n't know what would have happened to him if he had not at last got on the otter 's back , and safe out of the hole . He was right glad when he got out : but he would not desert his friend who had saved him ; and the first time he saw his tail uppermost he caught hold of it , and pulled with all his might . But the lobster would not let go . `` Come along , '' said Tom ; `` do n't you see she is dead ? '' And so she was , quite drowned and dead . And that was the end of the wicked otter . But the lobster would not let go . `` Come along , you stupid old stick-in-the-mud , '' cried Tom , `` or the fisherman will catch you ! '' And that was true , for Tom felt some one above beginning to haul up the pot . But the lobster would not let go . Tom saw the fisherman haul him up to the boat-side , and thought it was all up with him . But when Mr. Lobster saw the fisherman , he gave such a furious and tremendous snap , that he snapped out of his hand , and out of the pot , and safe into the sea . But he left his knobbed claw behind him ; for it never came into his stupid head to let go after all , so he just shook his claw off as the easier method . It was something of a bull , that ; but you must know the lobster was an Irish lobster , and was hatched off Island Magee at the mouth of Belfast Lough . Tom asked the lobster why he never thought of letting go . He said very determinedly that it was a point of honour among lobsters .
And so it is , as the Mayor of Plymouth found out once XXXXX his cost -- eight or nine hundred years ago , of course ; for if it had happened lately it would be personal to mention it .
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