THE OTTER 71 



The grey light and a mist prevented him 

 from seeing clearly ; yet he knew that it was 

 an otter. At once he became alarmed for his 

 safety, because he felt almost sure that the 

 intruder would seek the island to couch on. 



He was on the point of obeying his instinct to 

 steal away whilst there was yet time, but irresolu- 

 tion held him back. He half rose ; he resettled 

 himself; he wavered again, and finally decided to 

 await the issue. There he sat, watching and 

 hoping that the creature would seek harbourage 

 in the reeds beyond the spot where he had seen 

 it. Minutes passed without a sign, he thought 

 that his hopes were realised ; he had almost 

 ceased to scan the pool, when to his dismay the 

 otter rose with a snort within a few yards, and 

 lay motionless with his black bead-like eyes fixed 

 on the island. It was a trying moment for the 

 hare ; had he moved ever so slightly the otter 

 must have seen him, but he remained as rigid 

 as the rock beside him ; even his nostrils were at 

 rest. 



Presently, shaking the water out of her ears, 

 the otter dived, only, however, to reappear with 

 an eel in her mouth and land where the only 

 creek on the islet had often invited her. Scarcely 

 more than her length from the hare she lay 

 down at full length with her head towards th^ 



