AMONGST THE PORPOISES 57 



After they had passed the last buoy and, 

 indeed, covered most of the mile that sepa- 

 rated them from the lighthouse, they learnt 

 that they were not the only creatures abroad 

 that fine summer night. Barely a furlong 

 could have separated them from the castles that 

 once guarded the narrow entrance when they 

 caught sight of some monsters whose noisy 

 breathing, growing louder and louder as they 

 drew near, might well have proved most terrify- 

 ing to the easily scared cubs, had not their 

 mother's indifference convinced them they had 

 nothing to fear ; and presently mother and cubs 

 were among the shoal of porpoises, the great 

 backs of which gleamed as they showed above 

 the waves. The mother knew the errand of 

 these corsairs, and understood that they were 

 raiding the salmon that the flooded river had 

 attracted from the offing. Awakened memories 

 of great chases in the pools and of feasts on the 

 banks flashed across her brain as she swam, and 

 before she set foot on the point opposite the 

 lighthouse she resolved to complete the round 

 with as little delay as possible and regain the 

 upper reaches of the river, where she could teach 

 the cubs how to weary out the fresh-run fish and 

 bring them to the bank. 



8 



