"Every time it swells itself out, some water rushes in through these little pores, and with the water the food on which the sponge lives. When it draws itself up, the water is sent out again through the larger holes. The sponge keeps back all that it wants for food. That is not sent out with the water.""What a strange animal!" said Norah. "How do they get the sponges, Fred?""Teacher told us all about it, didn"t he, Fred?" said Will. "Men have to go down to the bottom of thesea to get them. They are called sponge-divers. I"m glad I am not a sponge-diver, though.""Oh, do tell me all about it." said Norah.
"Well, these divers are trained to dive while they are boys. They are taken out to the place in a boat. When they are ready, they fix a large stone to their foot and slide down to the bottom, holding a rope in their hands.
"As soon as they get to the bottom, they cut away with a long knife as many sponges as they can. These they put into a bag slung round their neck. They can"t stay under water more than three minutes, and then they are drawn up by the men in the boat.""What a dreadful life it must be!" said Norah.
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