CHAPTER IV 



AT THE CREEK 



The otter was awakened about noon by the 

 patter and drip of the rain that had silenced the 

 birds in the woods outside, but the cubs slept 

 through it all. The downpour, which lasted off 

 and on for hours, ceased towards sundown, and 

 at star-peep the sky had cleared of clouds, save 

 where a black pall hung over the uplands. The 

 otters then stole from the cave, coming singly 

 through the mouth and, keeping within the 

 shadow of the rocky wall, landed on the beach 

 beyond. 



After shaking their coats, they made down 

 the creek over the rain-pitted sand until nearly 

 abreast of a rock showing above the surface, and 

 there took to the water. For awhile it looked 

 as if they meant to cross to the opposite shore, 

 but on reaching mid-stream they dived, and the 

 next minute were busy detaching mussels from 

 the bed of the channel. The bubbles which kept 

 rising showed the position of the animals, which 

 presently came up with their mouths full of 



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