74 DISCOVERED 



that the otter must be lying on the island, and 

 his one thought was to get at it. He entered 

 the water and struck out as fast as he could 

 swim. The otter, startled out of her sleep by 

 a shout from the man, was at once on the alert, 

 and when the dog drew near she slipped into 

 the water ; but the dog had seen her. Then a 

 strange thing happened ; the cormorant chancing 

 to rise in the line of pursuit, the terrier took up 

 the chase of the bird as i( ignorant of the 

 change of quarry. His master of course re- 

 called him ; he swam to shore ; and immediately 

 he landed, the otter, who was watching from 

 the reeds, returned to the island, reaching it in 

 one long dive. She landed at the creek as before, 

 and crouching through the fern stole towards 

 her lair. 



She had taken but a step or two when 

 she suddenly stopped, and turning her mask 

 examined the ground to her left. She had 

 caught the scent of the hare ; she knew he 

 was close by, and she was doing her utmost to 

 descry him. She looked here, she looked there, 

 and at last, as she was about to advance, she 

 made him out. On the instant she sank slowly 

 to the ground ; she feared that quick movement 

 on her part would put the prey to flight before 

 she was free to pursue, for her shy nature 



