54 THE LIFE STORY OF AN OTTER 



school of fish made a dash for the deeper water, 

 and, as the otters flashed up from beneath to 

 seize them, scattered, leaping wildly to avoid the 

 fatal grip. The confusion of that moment taxes 

 description, but one detail stands out clear — the 

 effort of the otter to reach the leader in its leap 

 for life. She did indeed lip it, but no more ; 

 and the fish, which in its fall splashed the water 

 into ripples of silver, got right away and resumed 

 the lead of the retreating shoal. A few scales 

 only remained to mark the scene of the fray, and 

 the chagrin of the otters was complete when, on 

 drawing the rest of the water blank, they realized 

 that every mullet had escaped. 



The disappointed hunters landed through the 

 maggoty seaweed which had attracted the fish, 

 and making their way along the stream that 

 flows into the creek, reached the mill where the 

 otter intended to hover. To her dismay she 

 found the holt behind the wheel in possession of 

 another otter with cubs, and quite young ones, 

 as she could tell by their squeals. It was a 

 difficult situation, for day was near ; but she was 

 equal to it. Without losing an instant, she 

 hastened back along her trail towards the only 

 other lodging she knew within easy reach — a 

 hole in the wall of the quay. They might be 



