CHAPTER V 



SEA AND MARSH 



The otters landed opposite a white buoy, and, 

 to pass the time till the fish came in, played 

 about on the rocks that strewed the shore. 

 When the tide had covered most of them, the 

 otter set out to reconnoitre, and had not been 

 gone long before she summoned the cubs to join 

 her. At the signal they took to the water, and 

 soon reached the spot where she awaited them. 

 On seeing her excitement they became excited 

 too, dived the instant she did, and the three, 

 swimming in line abreast, soon viewed the prey. 

 It was but the merest glimpse they got of half 

 a score tails, for the fish, finding there were 

 three otters, wheeled round in affright and fled 

 before their advance. At this timid manoeuvre, 

 so favourable to their purpose, the otters, eager 

 though they were to seize the prey, rose to vent, 

 and on resuming the chase came on the alarmed 

 mullet in a fathom of water. Further retreat 

 meant certain capture, and the mullet — craftiest 

 of all the finny tribe — knew it. So the little 



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