42 THE LIFE STORY OF AN OTTER 



flies that darted to and fro, casting sharp 

 shadows on yellow sand-bank and sapphire pool. 

 But, glaring and dazzling as was the light, no 

 ray penetrated the gloom that shrouded the 

 otters, who never moved until near their usual 

 stirring - time. Then they rose, but only to 

 stretch themselves, for they lay down again, 

 listened to the fading voices of the mowers, and 

 watched the afterglow pale upon the face of the 

 water. 



At length, when all was still and the light 

 sombre, they slipped noiselessly into the current, 

 raising scarce a ripple as they passed from pool 

 to pool on their way down the creek. They 

 landed at the turn below the mussel -bed to 

 quench their thirst, then took to the water again, 

 and were soon busy disporting themselves in 

 Deadman's Pool. On leaving it, they moved 

 forward, climbing every rock, and resting there 

 as if they enjoyed the warmth till, two miles 

 beyond the pool, they came to where the creek 

 broadens between marshy flats given over to 

 wild-fowl. As it was in this reach that the otter 

 intended to hunt when the coming tide had 

 brought up the fish that came there to feed, she 

 and the cubs landed and played about on the 

 bank to while away the time of waiting. Pre- 



