FROGGING 19 



meadow beyond. Then they slipped under the 

 low bar, crossed the yard, skirted the house, and 

 hurried towards the ditch from which the noise 

 proceeded. The croaking ceased on their ap- 

 proach, and before the otter entered the water 

 every frog had sought a hiding-place at the 

 bottom. The otter had scarcely dived before 

 she was out again with two frogs in her mouth. 

 These she skinned and gave to the cubs. Find- 

 ing the morsel toothsome, and learning that 

 if they wanted more they must fish for them- 

 selves, they joined in the easy pursuit, and for 

 the first time in their lives satisfied their hunger 

 with prey of their own taking. 



Finally, they quarrelled like little tigers over a 

 frog, of which each claimed possession, and so 

 loud a chattering did they make that the miller 

 got out of bed and opened his window to learn 

 the cause of the disturbance. The creak of the 

 sash silenced and alarmed them, and the next 

 instant they and their mother were heading for 

 the river at their best speed. An hour later 

 the raiders started to return home by a route 

 that took them wide of the mill where the 

 danger lurked, thus reaching the morass with- 

 out mishap ; and the otter soon fell asleep, but 

 the cubs lay awake thinking of an incident of 



3—2 



